M. S. Gore (1921 – 2010), a celebrated sociologist is widely known for his scholarship and also for his humility and gentle demeanor. His association with the pioneering research on, ‘Field Studies in Sociology of Education’ carried out for the Education Commission (1964-66), was instrumental in laying a strong foundation for the specialized field of Sociology of Education in India. He took initiative for establishing the Centre for Studies in Sociology of Education at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. He believed that education must be seen beyond the narrow philosophical goals of individual and societal development and that social processes associated with it must be examined thoroughly to better comprehend the role of education in society, especially in maintaining status-quo. Towards this end, he focused on examining sociological processes of marginalisation with a view to making education more inclusive and egalitarian.

Today, the higher education system in India is undergoing major transition in its organisational and governance structures and, more importantly, in its overall goals and objectives. There is palpable tension between state and higher education institutes which manifests in several ways. The contradictory trends of declining state funding and increasing state interventions in the academic and administrative functioning of universities and other higher educational institutes are seriously undermining their autonomy. The enhanced role of private agencies, the market- oriented curricular revisions and, the political attempts to subordinate the erstwhile goals and objectives of the education system, to serve narrow cultural nationalist ambitions along with market interests are visible. These economic, cultural and educational shifts pose unique challenges to different sections of Indian society, especially to the marginalised communities, be it in terms of religion, caste, class, tribe and gender. It is, therefore, important to interrogate the nature of transitions currently underway and their impact, both immediate and long-term, on the future of higher education in the country. This webinar is an attempt to explore some of these important issues and concerns. We feel that it is important to employ Gore's approach in understanding contemporary changes in the institution of education and the implications of these changes for the society at large.

One can witness a shift from state-welfarist liberal approach to neo-liberal approach in the overall policy framework governing higher education. One can also observe the coming together of neo-liberal ideologies that promote global capital and the neo-conservative right-wing ideologies that focus on narrow cultural nationalism. Consequently, the values and norms promoted earlier are undergoing changes and one can see the efforts to restructure the field of education in fundamental ways. The establishment of private institutions as well as the highly centralised apex governing bodies are encouraged and introduction of self-financing courses in public institutions are legitimised. Emphasis on Public-Private partnership or Public-Philanthropic-Partnership in its new avatar in National Education Policy 2020, appears less about collaboration and more about territorial separation, where the entry of the private sector is based on the presumed inefficiency of the public. Other significant changes are rising fee structure, inadequate scholarships and hostel facilities and, inadequate curricular resources needed for completing higher education. Further, the highly competitive nature of higher education has encouraged the growth of a parallel coaching ‘industry’ undermining the formal education system, escalating costs of education. All of these pose challenges for the marginalized communities.

The curricular changes aiming towards rewriting the history of the nation, laying emphasis upon the contribution of some communities/political parties while excluding the others’, is changing the vision of nation-building eroding our Constitutional value framework which lies at the very foundation of a secular, democratic society where all citizens are equal and are supposed to live a life of dignity. Today, academic freedom and critical thinking are curtailed in the institutions of higher education and the political pressure is exerted on these institutions to promote sectarian histories and distorted values. There is correspondingly reduced emphasis on research and teaching in the disciplines of humanities and social sciences, devaluing them as redundant for a market-oriented education. The institution of education is being narrowly conceived and entrusted with developing a skilled workforce for the capitalist society.

Some of these developments, both internal and external to the system of education, have seriously undermined the agency of teachers, their employment as well as their autonomy to function. As cost-cutting measures, colleges and universities are increasingly relying on temporary and ad hoc appointments, thus taking away negotiability of the teachers. The new audit cultures and the emergence of an academic labour market that mimic the norms of corporate sector have further disempowered the faculty. Not only policy measures but coercive and violent means have become legitimate ways to discipline the academic community.

The pre Covid introduction of online courses like MOOC and Swayam and the shift to online teaching in the Covid period have resulted in fragmenting the teachers and the student communities. The impact of impersonal online interactions and campus socialisation on students’ learning and their overall development is getting undermined. The proposed administrative measures such as new modalities of entry and exit, ranking of universities and institutes, degree programmes conducted across multiple institutions and the opportunities for credential accumulation are intensifying individualism. The new individualism-oriented education policies are taking away the collective support required to raise voices against injustice. This makes it important to understand the student movements and their implication for social change. The earlier multiple goals of higher education, i.e., subject knowledge, critical thinking, understanding of wider social and political issues for problem solving, citizenship building is now being streamlined into a narrow singular goal of skill development. The only values and concerns getting focused are the concern of survival and individual consumerism.

The above-mentioned are some of the important developments in the field of higher education altering the institution in fundamental ways. As we can see, not only the structure and organisation but also the very meaning of education is being reformulated. The proposed webinar aims to explore some of these concerns in detail.

1.Changing meaning of higher education in light of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism

Changing nature of education; changing relevance of education; implications for the larger society.

2. Changing contours of State’s relationship with Universities/HEIs

State policies and practices to transform higher education; liberalization along with increased centralized control and surveillance; changes in the pedagogy and curriculum; changing profile and agency of teachers and students.

3. Increasing threat to university as secular, democratic and liberal site of dissent

a. Education and Inequality: New avenues of social mobility and marginalisation; receding funding to the HEIs and inadequate financial support to students; increased privatisation and the new private-public-philanthropic arrangements.

b. Education and Conflict: curtailed freedom of expression, restricted institutional autonomy; increasing communal and ethnic conflicts, discrimination of students, social exclusion of certain minorities; student movements, and the approach of the state towards these movements; political mobilization of students.

4. Sociology of Education: the way forward.

5. M S Gore Memorial Lecture

Register in advance for the webinar using the below link

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0sd-CopzgiG9W44a30E_EwEyAEUJ4rzu8X