We don't need a centrally controlled education system

Trump has pledged to shut down the Department of Education. I support any move to reduce the role of central authority in framing educational policies. Education is too important to be left in the hands of a few bureaucrats at the center.

India would also benefit from downsizing the Ministry of Education. Excessive regulation has damaged our education system. Our students go to even Ukraine and Bangladesh for education. On the other hand, a relatively less regulated healthcare market has made India’s healthcare both high-quality and affordable, attracting patients from advanced countries.

A few days back, I came to know about Swaraj University, whose aim is to provide practically relevant education. Because its curriculum is very unconventional, it is not recognized by any authority. Without regulation, many more such experiments will happen.

However, we need to exercise caution in interpreting what politicians say. Politicians often mean something that is different from what they are saying. Modi, before the 2014 election, promised to downsize the central government. The central government actually has grown bigger in the last decade. I would like to hear what Americans have to say about the matter.

(On LinkedIn, November 2024)