Don't commit higher education to WTO

New Delhi: Scores of students from various varsities across the country including JNU, DU, Aligarh Muslim University, Jadhavpur and Allahabad Universities, are camping at Jantar Mantar in protest against proposed negotiations on higher education at the forthcoming WTO conference in Nairobi.

The eight-day long All-India Resistance Camp began here on Tuesday after the agitating students and teachers marched to Jantar Mantar from UGC, where students have been protesting since 45 days against scrapping of non-NET fellowships. The students and teachers are of the view that if India commits its higher education to World Trade Organisation (WTO) during a meeting starting in Nairobi on December 15, education will become a tradable commodity.

The protesters were joined by social activists Medha Patkar, Yogendar Yadav, Kavita Krishnan, Tanika Sarkar and Harbans Mukhia among others, who raised their concerns over alleged fund-cuts and "sell out of education". "In the last three decades, our governments have been shamelessly destroying the resources of this country just for some people to make enormous profits.

"First they were rivers, forests, coal. Then they were 2G, 3G etc. Now it is basic services like education and health... If they become inaccessible to people, the country's future would be very bleak," Patkar said. Echoing her views, Swaraj Abhiyan leader and former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said, "Condition of education is worsening everyday and if Parliament is being blind to it, then the only way out is to struggle on streets."

Last week, retired Justice Rajinder Sachar had come out in support of the movement alleging that the government is moving towards opening room for private plunder at the hands of global capital. "If we do not withdraw from the 10-year-old commitment made to WTO in the 15th Ministerial meeting from December 15-18, 2015 at Nairobi, education will become a tradable service, he added.