Education or enterprise? Revisiting the purpose of private degrees in Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari* 

The vision of India’s founding thinkers—Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar—placed education at the heart of human development. For Vivekananda, education was about man-making and character-building, essential for national progress. Tagore championed an inclusive, research-driven education that served life first and careers later. Vidyasagar saw education as a means to empower the marginalised and eradicate social superstition. These ideals, however, stand in sharp contrast to the current realities of private higher education in West Bengal.

Over the past fifteen years, under the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, the state has witnessed a rapid expansion of private educational institutions. With over 45 government universities and more than 70 government colleges, the state has struggled to meet the soaring demand for higher education, driven by changing parental aspirations and improved school enrolment. In response, 11 private universities and approximately 1,312 private colleges have emerged across West Bengal. While this growth addresses a quantitative gap, it raises serious concerns about quality, transparency, and governance.

Many of these private institutions function less as centres of learning and more as commercial enterprises, offering degrees for a price. Their infrastructure is often impressive, designed to attract students from middle and lower-middle-class backgrounds, particularly those seeking job-oriented courses in service and managerial sectors. Access to educational loans and family support enables these students to afford the high fees. Yet, beneath the surface, systemic irregularities undermine the very purpose of education.

A significant number of private colleges and universities fail to comply with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms. Faculty members are frequently hired on a temporary basis, and regular instruction by qualified teachers is not consistently ensured. More troubling is the opaque nature of student registration. Many students are not issued registration certificates or roll numbers upon admission, and some remain uncertain about which university they are enrolled in. Examinations are sometimes conducted without admit cards, and in certain cases, through online platforms like Google Forms, raising questions about academic rigour and credibility.

The case of Rohit, an MBA (Hospital Management) student at the Subhash Bose Institute of Hotel Management, illustrates these failures. After completing his BBA from the same institute under Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, he enrolled in a master’s programme but was never clearly informed about his affiliating university. The institute provided contradictory information, at times naming Seacom Skill University, and at other times citing different affiliations. He appeared for two semesters without a registration certificate or admit card, and his examinations were conducted via Google Forms. When he sought clarification, the institute assured him that his certificate was in their custody and results were pending. His inquiry to the university in question yielded no satisfactory response. Some of his batchmates received mark sheets without registration dates or roll numbers. Rohit, the only child of a widowed mother who runs a small street business, represents countless young people whose families invest their limited resources in the hope of a better future—only to face uncertainty and disillusionment.

Such practices are not isolated. They point to a broader erosion of academic standards and institutional accountability. The proliferation of private institutions has occurred with inadequate regulatory oversight, and the state government’s role in facilitating this expansion cannot be overlooked. Allegations of corruption in school recruitment, midday meal schemes, and incidents of unrest in educational campuses have further damaged public trust in the system. The line between genuine education and degree vending has become dangerously blurred.

There is an urgent need for a comprehensive and independent assessment of private higher education in West Bengal. The new government, regardless of its political affiliation, must prioritise student welfare over institutional interests. Regulatory bodies like the UGC and the state’s higher education council should conduct thorough audits of affiliations, faculty qualifications, examination processes, and student records. Clear mechanisms for grievance redressal and public disclosure of institutional data are essential to restore credibility.

Education is not a commodity, nor should it be reduced to a transaction. The future of an entire generation depends on the integrity of the system that shapes them. West Bengal’s private education sector requires immediate and sustained reform—not to stifle growth, but to ensure that growth is grounded in ethics, transparency, and genuine learning. Only then can the state honour the educational ideals of its great thinkers and secure the future of its youth.

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*Contact: harasankaradhikari2010@gmail.com