AAD Press:

    ACADEMICS FOR ACTION & DEVELOPMENT                                             (AAD)

PRESS STATEMENT:

Dr Aditya Narayan Misra Former President of DUTA and FEDCUTA expressed its deep concerns and opposition to enhanced thrust of the budget 2018-19 for privatisation and contractualisation in the higher education, where as inclusive affordable public funded Higher education is needed for the social justice. The share of HE to the budget has declined from 1.57% in 2017-18(RE) to a dismal proportion of 1.43%. Similarly the allocation of UGC declined from Rs 4923 cr in 2017-18 (RE) to Rs 4723 cr in 2018-19.

ACADEMICS FOR ACTION & DEVELOPMENT (AAD)

Education Sector in UNION BUDGET 2018



In this budget the governmemnt has further strengthened the privatisation of Higher education especially after the proposed to launch ‘‘Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) by 2022’’ with a total investment of Rs 1,00,000 crore in next four years. This is a kind of investment to generate profitable return from the higher education sector.


The Union Budget 2018 further mentioned that the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) would be suitably structured for funding the RISE initiative. This shows the resolve of the BJP government to move from grant based to loan based higher education.

In the entire budget speech the Finance Minister did not mention even once the name of Central University he neither mention anything on UGC. In spite of the fact that a total of 3% education cess is imposed on direct tax since 2008. We are far behind allocating 6% of GDP to education sector. This year 1% addition is made to existing 3%, making it to 4% in the name of health and education cess. The present government is unable to find fund for implementation of 7th pay commission in Central Universities. They are asking 30% self generation of additional expenses to those universities. In addition, cutting the various research and other developmental grants, denying legitimate promotion to the teachers, resorting to contractual appointment of teaching and non teaching positions. These all clearly hints towards apathetic approach of government towards the higher education and promoting privatization. 

The teaching learning in actual classroom setting can not be replaced by e-learning platforms like SWYAM. Increasing funding for such platforms at the funding for research and education in the universities can not serve the cause of quality higher education in our country.

Dr Misra appealed to resist the move of Modi Government for the privatisation and contractualisation by launching a united to save public funded Higher education.

                                    (Rajesh Jha)

                                  Press Secretary