Indians have always been guilty of exhibiting a shockingly high divergence between private and social utility. Thus, they will bathe thrice a day but not pull the chain in a public toilet; they will keep their homes spick and span but throw the garbage over the fence on to the public road; they will not pay their taxes but demand all kinds of subsidies; they will bribe for everything but complain about corruption; and so on. | |
| The tragedy at Kumbhakonam, where over 90 children between the ages of 5 and 11 were burnt in a school fire, has to be seen in this light. The attempt to maximise private utility sent the children to school. The failure to pay attention to social utility led to the multiple negligence that resulted in the gruesome tragedy. |
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| Everyone was to blame: the district authorities who did not make sure that safety regulations were adhered to; the school authorities who flouted even common sense norms like not having the kitchen near a combustible thatch roof; the municipal authorities who did not make sure that there was proper water supply; and most shockingly of all, the teachers who ran away leaving the children to fend for themselves. If ever there was a case of abandonment of civic responsibility at every conceivable level, this was it. |
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| The problem seems unsolvable because of the huge change in attitudes that is needed. But attitudes change in response to two things only, strong incentives and heavy penalties operating in tandem. |
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| In Kumbhakonam, the incentives were huge for both the school and the parents who sent their children there, as indeed perhaps even to the district authorities who turned a blind eye to the several transgressions. But there were no symmetric penalties. It is this latter aspect that has to be addressed. |
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| The chances are that people will demand a curtailment of private education, which ignores the fact that it is the failure of public education that has forced many parents (even those who cannot afford the extra expenditure) to opt for private education. |
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| The correct solution therefore is to ensure the proper provision of public education, and to have effective supervision of private schools""which means the school inspectors must do their jobs. |
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