Dr. Chetana Sawai
On September 20, 1932, Mahatma Gandhi announced a fast unto death in protest against Dr.BabasahebAmbedkar’s demand for a separate electorate, which later turned into the Pune Pact. However, today, on September 20, 2024 at Wardha, the Shudra, an untouchable community of this country once again saw the killing of their rights, justice, and education in the honor of the government. The community lays dormant, and the injuries have left them too numb and feeble to articulate the ongoing carnage not just in Wardha but also the widespread shock among the populace.
Today, in the presence of the Prime Minister of the country and the Chief Minister and Minister of Maharashtra, “Acharya ChanakyaKaushalyaVikasYojana, PunyashlokAhilya Devi HolkarStartup Scheme” was virtually inaugurated. Centers under Acharya ChanakyaKaushalyaVikasYojana will be established in every college in every district. Through these programs or schemes, the government has announced that; traditional caste-based barabalutedars and 18alutedar system will be revived. Reviving the old system aims to keep aside the logical thinking and conduct only skill-based training.
For higher education in 2013, there would have been a budget of Rs 80,000 crore, but in the budget of 2024, the Government of India has made a huge reduction in the funds given for higher education. According to the total estimate, the Higher Education Department gets Rs 47,619.77 crore, which is less than 1% of the total budget of Rs 48.2 lakh crore. The allocation for the development of infrastructure, improvement funds, and recruitment of professors is completely inadequate to meet the area’s growing needs. The budget of the University Grants Commission (UGC) has decreased by more than 60% compared to 2023. This means, that if UGC had provided funds of ₹ 5,780 crore last year, there would have been a shortfall of ₹ 2,900 crore. The total allocation for higher education has also been reduced by ₹9,600 crore. The Indian government’s approach to higher education from 2014 to 2024 is disheartening, casting a shadow on the future of the youth.
The sequence of schemes announced today and how they have been presented shows that the Prime Minister who once told the story of frying pakodas, tangibly has today inaugurated it in a big fat gathering of poor destitute shudraatishudra. There were women, citizens, and students in the physical gathering but the broadcast of this program from all the colleges was also watched by lakhs of students virtually.
The government is enthusiastic about reviving the Barabalutedar, 18 Alutedar system through this scheme, aiming to employ 3 lakh unemployed individuals and offer work opportunities for micro OBCs. As a professor, I’m curious whether you will prioritize providing 12 balutedar-based skill education over higher education to the girl who moves from a village to attend college in the city. If there was a willingness to integrate higher education with skill education, the budget would not have reduced the expenditure on higher education to 2900 crores. How does this approach provide justice to the marginalized communities of micro OBCs, SCs, and STs?
Today many colleges are deliberately preparing to be closed by the government, the students are indifferent towards education because all the facilities that the government should provide to keep education alive are being closed in a phased manner. The scholarship criteria are so convoluted that even a student with a 77% score is unable to secure a scholarship or hostel accommodation.In such a scenario, students would be compelled to participate in government-led training following the Barabalutedar approach. What strides are being made for the nation’s advancement, and what direction is the country taking?
The growing focus on skill-based education in India is likely to have a substantial impact on the larger youth population. While the objective of skill training is to bridge the gap between education and employment, the primary focus on skill training alone may pose several risks in the future.
Skill-based learning often emphasizes specific job-focused skills, potentially undermining the development of broader intellectual and critical thinking. This can limit students’ ability to explore a variety of topics, impairing their problem-solving abilities and long-term creativity. Too much emphasis on technical and professional skills risks neglecting subjects such as history, philosophy, literature, and the social sciences, which are important for critical thinking, ethics, and raising social awareness. Young individuals who prioritize skill development may lack the cultural and ethical comprehension required for taking on leadership positions in society.
A decline in humanities studies can lead to a decline in societal understanding of India’s diverse heritage, identity, and values. This can result in young people becoming insensitive to important social issues such as inequality, justice, and governance.
Focusing too much on skills education can create a gap between those who receive only barabalutedar-style training and those who receive a traditional, high-quality education. Due to the immediate job prospects, students from disadvantaged backgrounds may opt for skill-based education, while upper caste students may pursue higher education, leading to a scenario where higher education institutions are predominantly populated by students from privileged backgrounds, rather it will be reserved exclusively for upper-caste students. This shows the government’s strong attempt to revive the caste system in the country. So the upper castes will be in the role of decision-making and leadership, while the lower castes will only follow the rules of the upper castes. This is the real caste-based history of this country!
Skill-based training will only give young people a flimsy education, but may not equip them with the comprehensive knowledge needed for long-term career progression. As industries evolve and new skill demands arise, individuals trained in certain skills may find it difficult to grow or adapt to new skills, leading to continued job insecurity.
The way the government says that skill-based training is directly linked to the market means that students will start earning quickly, in fact, this process will kill the intellectual curiosity of the youth and put pressure on them to prioritize only employability. This makes the youth more prone to stress and depression, a vivid example of this is when Reliance Industries laid off 42,000 employees in one day.
If most of the students prefer skill-based training, the number of students pursuing higher education in arts, commerce, and science will come down. Over time, this can lead to the erosion of the country’s intellectual capital, halting progress in areas that require in-depth academic research and critical inquiry.
Not only this; but the entire education system has already been derailed in the name of NEP 2020.
“If the government continues with its current approach to education, it is inevitable that either the country’s leadership will falter on the global stage or only the upper caste will come to symbolize India internationally. “In fact, at present, OBCs own 18% of the country’s total wealth, SCs own 4% and STs own 2%, while upper castes own > 60%. Not only that, > 60% of the educational capital is occupied by 100% upper castes of this country, in a way, education is free for them just like education is free in Europe.
As per the government’s hidden agenda, the “AcharyaChanakya Skill Development Centre” will provide free skill-based training for backward classes, while free higher education will be available for upper castes.
It appears that the government’s primary goal is to reinforce the caste system in our country, undermining the fundamental principles of the Indian Constitution and thwarting the aspirations of SC/ST/OBC students who seek higher education. And forcing them to embrace the ancestral responsibilities such as chamhar, carpenter, blacksmith, barber, Parit, Bhat, Gosavi, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the Shudras solely serve the upper castes.
As a concerned professor and citizen of this country, I fear for the future of Dalit Bahujan Tribal students!
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Dr. Chetana Sawai is an Asst .Professor, who is f rom Wardha (Maharashtra)
chetana.sawai@gmail.com
