Control fixation

As an academic, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh clearly recognises the crucial role that autonomy plays in fostering institutions of higher education and its value in encouraging world-class research. His observations in Kolkata on Tuesday underline this. The irony is that as a prime minister he appears powerless to do very much when coalitional allies ride roughshod over this principle and convert institutions of higher learning into private fiefdoms.

Recent developments in All-India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS constitute just one example of ministerial over-reach. It is, of course, not the first instance of its kind. Under NDA rule, we had Murli Manohar Joshi, the HRD minister, unilaterally deciding to alter the fee structure of the IIMs. Joshi may have considered that move a politically popular one, but the voters of the 2004 Lok Sabha election 8212; which followed soon after 8212; proved niggardly in commending it. Not only did Joshi8217;s party lose that election, he himself lost his parliamentary seat. There is a lesson in Joshi8217;s plight that ministers in this government could gain from if they were prepared to moderate their arrogance with some received wisdom. The average person values the few institutions there are and is not about to applaud cheap political gimmicks that could seriously undermine them.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss8217;s interference in the running of AIIMS has unsurprisingly caused great disquiet among all those who value institutional autonomy. And the prime minister, going by his recent speech, clearly counts himself as part of that community. But the real test of prime ministerial intent on the issue will come if the Delhi High Court, at present inquiring into the inelegant ouster of AIIMS8217;s director at the recommendation of its governing body headed by the health minister, should find that action ultra vires. Will the PM then call the concerned minister to account for undermining the autonomy of India8217;s premier medical institute?