Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, May 25: Gone are the days when a college lecture in Mumbai cost less than a cup of roadside chai. Once, aided courses at iconic institutions like St Xavier’s College meant knowledge for as little as 65 paise per lecture, thanks to generous government support. But the current educational landscape has transformed dramatically, with unaided, self-financed, and ‘innovative’ courses now taking centre stage—and with them, a steep price tag.
Over the past decade, the quiet withdrawal of government aid has pushed colleges into a corner, forcing them to reinvent themselves as self-sustaining enterprises. The result? A mushrooming of unaided programmes marketed as “industry-ready”, promising elite visiting faculty, corporate-style placement drives, and international-standard infrastructure. These courses now dominate college brochures—and budgets.
From sports management with Harvard case studies and Rs 2 lakh fees to business analytics classes accessed by students barely scraping pass marks in Class 12, a new caste system seems to have formed within Mumbai’s college campuses. “It’s a college within a college,” said a principal, highlighting the divide between ‘plain’ courses and their glitzy unaided counterparts.
Many educators express concern over the shift in priorities. “A student once asked me if Rs 445 was really the monthly fee for junior college,” recalled a principal, noting how parents, used to shelling out lakhs in private schools, now equate higher cost with higher value. The irony, she pointed out, is lost on many: “Top CEOs studied regular commerce. Renowned scientists like Jayant Narlikar came from plain science.”
The rapid change hasn’t been without growing pains. Visiting faculty with real-world experience command hefty honorariums, full-time unaided staff add to the cost, and infrastructure—like artificial turfs and smart boards—requires deep pockets. With the government paying only partial salaries in some aided colleges, the burden of sustaining quality now falls squarely on students.
Yet, complaints have begun to mount. Underqualified or underpaid faculty, institutions overcharging but underdelivering, and parents feeling the pinch of education loans—all while chasing courses with shiny brochures but often questionable outcomes. “It’s an ethical failure,” admitted one administrator. “And the students know it.”
While innovation and industry alignment are important, experts caution against losing sight of the basics. “When the Wi-Fi disconnects, what remains?” mused a senior academic. “Not the touchscreen, not the turf—but the knowledge imparted.”