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PUTTING A CAP ON CAPITATION FEES.
In mid-August 2003 the parents’ fraternity and all the right-thinking citizens of our
country welcomed with a huge sigh of relief the SC ruling on the Capitation fees banning it.
The dictionary meaning of the term `capitation fee' is a levy or payment per head that is subject
to certain conditions. In the Indian higher educational context however, ‘capitation fee'
has an extortionist connotation suggesting, in fact, something like a lavish bribe for admission.
These leads to problems galore not only to the financially fleeced parents but also to
the society as a whole!
Imagine the financial burden on middle class
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families to get their children educated in a professional college. Oh, how many corners,
they would have to cut to muster the money adequate enough to ‘buy’ a seat in a professional course,
even when their children are talented enough to merit an entry into those courses by virtue of their
talent alone.
Then again, there is also a larger issue to be addressed…of the far-reaching implications on
the society as a fall-out of the Capitation fee system. At a time the educational field, ideally,
should provide a level playing ground to the both the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’, Capitation fee
straightaway disadvantages the ‘have-nots’. While the meritorious ‘poor’ students unable to
cough up the capitation fee are deprived admission, the rich ‘not-so-meritorious’
students are able to ‘buy’ their way into the Professional colleges. This has a dreadful
cascading effect for the ‘buying tendency’ would not end with ‘entry’ into the hallowed precincts
of knowledge rather it would continue till the ‘exit’ thereof, with the notorious ‘buying spree’
extending to even ‘purchasing’ many a success in the exams en-route. The result of all these?
A plethora of incompetent professionals in the society to deal with on crucial issues such as
public health or infrastructure! One shudders at the plight of a patient in the hands of an
incompetent doctor or the condition of a bridge to be constructed by an inefficient engineer.
Worse, the adverse effects of the capitation fee system do not end there! They have a bearing
on the ‘marriage market’ too. The money spent on the son’s education has to be made good.
What better way than by way of a hefty ‘dowry’! How true like fire, evil only breeds more evil!
Coming to the Christian’s responsibility vis-à-vis this ‘social evil’, even if a few State
Governments may allow their self-financing colleges to collect capitation fee, we bearing His
peerless name must take a bold stand against this “legalized bribery”.
Compromising Christian parents who join their sons and daughters in professional colleges by
paying huge sums of money are doing a great harm to the moral fabric of their children for
these youngsters with impressionable minds are bound to grow with the worldly philosophy,
“ Money makes many things happen” in stark contrast to the Biblical teaching which states
that all blessings emanate only from the hands of God on we seeking Him first
(Matt 6:33).
In God’s realm, means to the end are as important as the end itself! Take the example of David,
a man of God’s own heart. He, the anointed one as the King-to-be
(I Sam 16:13) knew that one day,
he would sit on the throne of Kingdom of Israel but with the presence of the incumbent King Saul
looming large, he bided his time. When the murderous King Saul –the man who stood between David
and the throne-spurred on by jealousy was hunting for David’s life, not once but twice the tables
were turned with David the fugitive having King Saul at his mercy
(I Sam 24 & 26).
Encouraged by his own men not to show any mercy to his arch foe, David could have eliminated
King Saul on both those occasions but he didn’t. The reason? For that would have meant taking
law into his own hands, without waiting for God’s vengeance
(Romans 12:19) to catch-up with the
defiant King Saul. In effect, it would have meant using illegitimate means to achieve a legitimate end.
What price, even the Kingdom with all its glories and riches for this forerunner of Christ,
if it is obtained in a way, which is not pleasing unto His Master! Oh what an inspiring example,
the selfless acts of David constitute!
Coming to the present context, Jehovah continues to be a God of justice and He cannot endorse gains
made by false and dishonest methods. Our son or a daughter may earn a degree and secure a job.
But at what cost? At the cost of forfeiting the all-important “God’s” blessing! Do we not know that
the redemptive line chosen by God does not include Ishmael, whom Abraham without waiting for
God’s appointed time of giving a heir, had brought forth by ‘his own strength’ subverting God’s
better plans which called for an implicit trust and oodles of patience!
It’s not end of the world, when our offspring do not procure a seat in a professional college but
what matters is whether both the parents and their children are seeking God’s kingdom first
(Matt 6:33),
for those whom God loves and vice-versa there is always a bright future for He would invariably show
His strength in all those cases
(II Chron 20:15).
Here, I would like to cite my own example, a science student in my junior college days with lofty
plans to get into a medical college. Having failed to secure a high rank (I would be the first
to admit that I was not smart enough for that), in the concerned competitive exams,
I could not aspire for a seat in a Government-owned medical college. So I opted for career in
Commerce by enrolling myself in a B.Com course offered by Badruka College of Commerce and Arts,
Kachiguda, Hyderabad without trying to ‘buy’ my way into any of the Private medical colleges,
which would have done much to boost my ego whilst depleting my Dad’s (a retired Government servant)
bank balance. Yes, I was disappointed to some extent for not carrying a white coat in my arms or shoulder
whilst walking on the roads–a status symbol for many a medical student- but at the same time,
I was not devastated knowing full well that my future was secure in His hands. By His inspiration,
by dint of my hard work, I ended up in the good books of all my Degree college authorities. And when
a team from BPL –India (a leading Electronics firm in 1988) visited our College campus in search of
talented students for recruitment in their marketing department, my Principal –Mr Mallikarjun Rao-
promptly recommended my name to them. Subsequently, post 3 interviews I had my appointment letter in
my hand even before my Final year results were out! If this is not my faithful God’s handiwork,
then what else it is
(Ps 118:23)!!! It was that (three and half years) stint in BPL-India, which
paved the way for me to land a more lucrative job in the Government-owned Oil sector in 1992, where
I had a highly successful career for close to thirteen years.
Finally, to sum-up a young life lived in a way pleasing unto Him is the ‘best entry ticket’
to many a lucrative career. Mind you, you are hearing it from the horse’s mouth!
Suresh Manoharan
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The list of essays to follow
- Should we Indianize Christmas celebration?
- Lavish Christian weddings?
- Can Christians play KBC?
- What about "Family planning"?
- Christians and Harry Potter
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