SC anguish over commercialisation of education

The Supreme Court, today, expressed anguish over the growing commercialisation of education in the country saying "once you start compromising, it is like regularising illegal construction."

"All of us agree that education has become a commerce, nay something more than commerce," a vacation bench of Justices G S Singhvi and C K Prasad said.

The apex court made the remarks while chiding the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) for granting approval to certain ayurvedic colleges in Maharashtra for the year 2010-2011 even though the same colleges were not given recognition for academic years-2008-2009 and 2009-2010.

The Council had, earlier, refused approval to the said colleges on the ground that they failed to fulfill the required standards prescribed by the government. The colleges had reportedly filed false affidavits with the Council claiming to have fulfilled all requisite standards.

"You say that they have filed false affidavits. When you know that they have filed false affidavits, why did you grant them approval?, the bench told the counsel appearing for the Council.
    
The apex court regretted the government was granting approval for colleges without even examining whether these institutes possessed the required infrastructure.
    
"In Maharashtra, for instance, out of 465 colleges, 95 per cent of them lack basic infrastructural facilities," the bench said while referring the issue to a regular bench headed by Justice R V Raveendran.
    
The bench passed the order while dealing with a bunch of applications filed by managements of certain private ayurvedic colleges from Maharashtra which had sought approval of their admission process.
    
During the earlier hearing of the case, the apex court had regretted the growing the trend in the country where all types of irregularities are regularised and murder convicts pardoned.
    
"In this country, all types of irregularities are regularised, murder convicts are pardoned, irregular appointments are made regular and illegal construction regularised," the bench had observed.