IT started in Maharashtra three decades ago and now neighbouring Gujarat is following suit. In Maharashtra, most of the politicians who had roots in sugar cooperatives, set up colleges and institutes in large numbers. Now as many as 20 politicians in Gujarat have established colleges in the state. Their brush with higher education actually began as early as the Seventies during Chimanbhai Patel’s first government. But this association was to bloom only a decade later. Incidentally, their venture into education has seen a corresponding rise in class XII pass percentage in the past five or six years—an average of 82 per cent in the general stream and 60 per cent in the science stream. And in 2006, that further rose to 87.78 per cent and 88.50 per cent . But during the Eighties, the trend of setting up colleges was more or less limited to government-aided arts and commerce colleges run by private trusts of politicians. In those years, Congress leaders exerted their influence over education by controlling colleges directly or indirectly. But with the Congress being voted out of power in the state in 1995, began the trend of privately funded colleges. This was also the time when professional degrees like BBA and MBA caught the fancy of middle-class students who could not make it to medical or engineering colleges. In 1996, Pravin Maniyar of the RSS set up a first self-financed engineering college in Rajkot. Gradually, politicians from both parties got involved in education. After 2000, management and computer education became the buzzword in education. ‘‘After 2000 when computer education became very popular among students, several colleges were opened in commercial shopping centres in Ahmedabad, like Amit Thakkar’s Lokmanya BCA College,’’ says a professor at Gujarat University. In Gujarat, about 80,000 students are enrolled in institutes of higher education. The fees in self-financed colleges for MBA, MCA and engineering comes to about Rs 35,000 per year on an average. SO, what’s driving politicians to colleges? Well, perhaps they need the respectability that being associated with education can get and then of course they have the necessary access. According to Vidyut Joshi, former vice-chancellor of Bhavnagar University, the era of self-financed colleges began after 1995 when the government decided to allow private participation in higher education. ‘‘As a result of the government policy, those who were close to the state would get the necessary approvals easily. It happened with the Congress leaders when the the party was in power and now BJP leaders are doing the same.’’ Social scientist Achyut Yagnik agrees. ‘‘In the social churning that happened in Gujarat, the emergence of the middle class saw education as a powerful instrument of local social and political structure and now it has also become a route to acquire social status and political power apart from vast revenue.’’ According to Tridip Suhrud, an Ahmedabad based social scientist, to start an educational institute you require two things: land and various government approvals. Now if you are a politician you can procure those easily. ‘‘It is beyond the reach of any educationist or academician to set up an educational campus with three-four colleges. It is just impossible. But for a politician it is very easy.’’ ‘‘Politicians are attracted to education because it is a respectable field and your involvement enhances your position in society,’’ he adds. Second, it generates huge money and a vast social network. So what Chimanbhai did in the early Seventies has become a model that’s been adopted even by smaller politicians like Amit Thakkar of the ABVP and Indravijaysinh Gohil of the NSUI. It has also become, some say, a way to grab land. ‘‘Under which other pretext can you ask for five to ten acres of government land at subsidised rates?’’ asks Suhrud. Gujarat’s political class Shankersinh Vaghela, union textiles minister. His Samarpan Education Trust runs an arts and commerce College in Gandhinagar. Dr Atul Patel, BJP MLA from Kalol, Gandhinagar district. Umiya Education Trust has one of the biggest emerging campus in Gujarat. Spread over 75 acres, it’s going to start an engineering college this year. Amit Thakkar, general secretary of the BJP national yuva morcha. His Lokmanya Trust runs three self-financed colleges in a shopping centre in Ahmedabad. He was in news recently for his anti-Fanna protest. Surendra Patel, BJP Rajya Sabha member and treasurer of Gujarat BJP. Has also been chairman of the powerful Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority. Runs the Charotar Institute of Technology at Changa, 25 km from Ahmedabad, that has 2,000 students. Anil Patel, minister of state for industry, Gujarat. Runs Ganpat University. Narhari Amin, former deputy chief minister. His Hira-Mani Trust runs schools from KG to higher secondary and a self-financed college of journalism and library science in Ahmedabad. Jayrambhai Patel, senior Congress leader and longest serving chairman of Gujarat State Cooperative Bank Ltd. His trust runs the National Institute of Cooperative Management in Gandhinagar. Indravijaysinh Gohil, President, Gujarat NSUI. Perhaps the youngest education baron of Gujarat. His Vision Education Trust runs self- financed B Ed and B Com colleges in Ahmedabad. Jashabhai Barad, former minister and Congress MLA. His B M Barad Education Trust runs institutes from primary school to an arts and commerce college in Veraval. Jashubhai Barad, Congress MP, Junagadh. His D M Barad Education Trust runs primary school, college in Talala in Junagadh district. Pethalji Chavda, senior Congress leader in Saurashtra. He is one of the largest lime stone suppliers in Junagadh. Dr Subhash Academy runs more than 15 educational institutions. Vithalbhai Radadiya, Congress MLA from Dhoraji. Has a stake in education, cooperatives, agriculture. Sardar His Patel education campus in Jam Kandorana, Rajkot district, has 6 colleges and secondary and higher secondary schools where more than 6,200 students are enrolled every year. Kanaksinh Mangrola, former Rajya Sabha MP from BJP. He runs two trusts— Sita-Ram Seva which runs a medical college and PTC College in Valia, Bharuch district south Gujarat and the Navchetna Education Trust that runs an engineering college and an arts college. Mohansinh Rathva, former Congress minister. His Vanvasi Seva Samaj Trust in Jetpur Pavi in Vadodara district runs more than 20 educational institutes including Arts and Commerce College. Pravin Maniyar, senior RSS leader in Rajkot. His Vyavasayi Vidhya Pratishthan (Professional Education Institute) runs an engineering and architecture college in Rajkot. In fact, he was the first RSS leader in Gujarat who understood the potential of setting up institutes of higher education in Gujarat—he was the first to start an engineering college in 1996 after the BJP came to power in 1995 in the state. He set up an architecture college in 2000 and is now vice-president of the Self-Financed Colleges Association in Gujarat. Sudhir Nanavati, senior advocate, Gujarat High Court and vice president of Gujarat Cricket Association. Contested elections as Congress candidate in 1990. His Gujarat Law Society is perhaps the largest education trust in Ahmedabad under which more than 40 educational institutions are run. K S Shastri, former VC of Gujarat University, president of professors union. He contested elections in 1995. His Som-Lalit Trust runs self-financed colleges in Ahmedabad. He was instrumental in the privatisation of higher education in Gujarat University. M L Patel, former minister and BJP leader in Junagadh. His Leuva Patel Education Trust runs a primary school and an arts, commerce and B.Ed College in Junagadh. Maneklal Patel, Congress leader. His Sarva Kelavani Mandal runs two B.Ed colleges, a BBA and MBA college, an arts and commerce college, a pharmacy college and a number of schools.
