The Unpublished Article

Shyam's father is a rickshaw puller while Shyam works at a chai-stall as his contribution to the household income. Shyam wants to become a Chartered Accountant one day and as soon as he's relieved from his day's duties, he gives his all to his books by the street-light. Shyam scraped to pass out from the neighbourhood central school where, occasionally, but teachers do find time to teach. His dream of making it to B.Com at DU shattered; he has lost all motivation to pursue further education. Shyam's father had to shell out most of his monthly income to pay for Shyam's studies in a government school. The very idea of a private university is unthinkable when a private school was out of question.
The Trehans sent their only boy to the best public school in the city, provided him with personal tutors for every subject. The boy, despite all the investment, sees no incentive to study, after all 'he will have to look after the family business in the end', and scored badly. When the possibility of paying his way into DU was ruled out, the Trehans doled out whatever was required to enrol him into a private university. There is nothing such as a free lunch.

DU offers scholarship to 'talented' students in terms of full fee concession or part fee concession at both the college and university level to those who can't support their studies themselves. An application plus documentary proof of income for those who have an income below 5,000 per month can get one admitted 'on the basis of merit on scholarship' to IP University. But the question remains, what about those who couldn't secure sound education at the school-level due to their economic inferiority?

Deputy Dean of Student's Welfare DU, Dr. Gurpreet Singh Tuteja, answers, "Evening colleges have reduced cut-offs and allow the student to work in the morning hours too. Besides that the non-collegiate women Education Board is admitting students at 14 centres. Students can opt for vocational courses and still manage to do well in life." He suggests short-term diploma courses, correspondence courses and School of Open Learning, for which just passing one's 12th boards is enough, as alternative options. But the compromise is evident and so is the bar on dreaming big.

Amity University has tied up with various banks which are based on the campus itself and give out education loans to students, which they themselves repay once they get a job. Since Amity assures a 100% placement, the guarantee is taken by the institution while the onus isn't on the parents. Anshum Pant, pursuing his B.Tech. from Amity University adds caution, "How well you get placed depends on your score on the aptitude test besides the degree isn't of as much value as that of a government university's."

Sumedha Upadhyay from Amity Law School, Delhi (affiliated to IP University) strongly disagrees that Private Universities are actually alternatives to Government Universities; they still continue to be the last resort. "In today's time free and compulsory education for all children below 14 years isn't enough; it should be ensured at graduate level too if the unemployment problem really needs to be resolved."

The draw-back of Government Universities is their lack of infra-structure and assured placement which private universities offer. The major disadvantage of a private university is its high fee due to lack of subsidies given to government-aided institutions besides the threat of de-recognition. As Rashmi Atal, PR Officer puts it, "Public-private partnership is the bridge between the gap in the future and IP University is a successful example of that. But there is still a long way to go."