In recent times, a new and bizarre argument has emerged over taxpayer money. There is a peculiar kind of snobbishness in evidence while turning to students, particularly those from poorer backgrounds, and saying, “Go to university, study and do nothing else, because that’s what I am paying for.” It is all the more dismaying because the thought behind these arguments is: “We are paying for your education, be grateful (and turn into one of the cogs of the Make in India machine).”

Just because major universities get state-funding, and yes, from taxpayer money, are students bound to genuflect before their so-called benefactors? This is a bizarre argument that only those who have forgotten that they themselves are the products of an ‘invisible quota’ can make. This quota has been doled out for centuries — call it the benefit of class, caste, family, political power, contacts or plain ‘networking’. A renowned economist once explained this world view of the privileged very succinctly — when it comes `to the poor, the term ‘subsidy burden’ is used, but for the big corporates, it’s always ‘stimulus’ or ‘incentives’. This is why icons of business, who have a lot to thank taxpayers for in terms of land at throwaway rates and tax breaks to help build their empires from benevolent governments, see the student action as lacking in gratitude.

Coming from privileged backgrounds, exposed to some of the best schools, teachers, art, literature, and relaxed drawing-room discussions, it is easy to lull oneself into thinking we got everything on merit, closing our eyes to the advantage we took of a covert system of reservation.

Rebellion is natural to youth and is an essential part of learning. And having a space to thrash out political ideologies is crucial. It is foolish to expect universities to be apolitical. And funding a space where this debate is allowed to take place with taxpayer money isn’t charity. Hopefully, it will help nurture minds that are braver than ours.

Senior Reporter

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