Commercialization of Education: Boon or Bane

Have often heard people complaining about rising commercialization of education. As per the stalwarts of industry, this sector has increasingly become money minting machine to many rather than ‘Temple of Learning’ as was conceived earlier. Things came to boil when I came to know about some IITians, who are in coaching business, advising engineering students during a seminar, ‘it is soft skills which is of paramount importance to get a job, content comes only after this’. If translated in marketing lingua, it is tantamount to ‘packaging is important, product comes next’. Commenting upon the current scenario, one Guru exclaimed, ‘A student is cheated so many times by these institutes that he becomes a cynic and skeptic!’

Now, is increasing commercialization of education really bad? Education sector has always been plagued by shortage of eminent personalities in it. There is a stigma attached to it. If you are a teacher or professor, or worse if you are running a coaching institute, people tend to perceive that you are not capable of doing anything else (and that’s why you are here). There is a serious lack of professionalism. During early years of our independence (or shall we say rise of India), there was at least a bit of pride attached with the profession. But advent of LPG, I guess, took away even that minuscule amount of smugness.

Today, no one aspires to become a teacher. Ask any child and most probably he will want to become an engineer, doctor or most probably MANAGER (with a degree from some B school). Sector is simply not attracting talent, and there is marked shortage.

But commercialization of education is opening avenues. Today, best of brands with best of brains are entering the market. And that is possible only because this sector is also showing same promise in terms of remuneration and career growth as that of any other sector. As for students, they are getting world class infrastructure combined with world class brains delivered at their doorstep, albeit with a price tag.

But what most people fail to understand that it is this price tag which is allowing institutions (whether it be colleges/schools or be it coaching and training institute) to scale up to world standards. Usage of latest technologies in class rooms (LCD projector is just a glance), interactive lectures (imagine teaching atomic structure of water with the help of Flash based application which allows student to drag atoms of Hydrogen and Oxygen and bring them together in correct sequence in order to form a molecule of water. Hasn’t someone famously said, ‘A picture is worth thousand words), superbly designed courses based on world class pedagogies (which don’t focus on erecting a ‘Babu’), lavish playgrounds (for skills which cannot be taught in classroom alone, like leadership) and other bells and whistles come at a price.

I am completely in tandem with someone who treats education as a business. In fact, a smart businessman will never compromise on consumer satisfaction (students in this case). He knows that unless and until he keeps them happy, he will not be able to survive for long.

But sadly, it is businessmen without vision who are ruining the market. They open one college after another as if on some mission, without thinking about their strategy or impact. Their college/coaching institute become a place where one comes to buy one’s degree/satisfy one’s parent. As in any other business, integrity is of paramount importance in this one too, if not more. I think, the responsibility is greater here as you are playing with an Individual. You can very well make or mar him.

I have always believed in the adage, ‘excess of everything is bad’. Downright commercialization with the only goal of minting money will prove disastrous to the people involved as well as the sector. Packaging is important, but it is product which will ensure repeat purchase.

But thank God for small mercies, we have eminent educationists who are turning into businessmen. If commercialization is THE factor which brings them in, I am all for it.