The New Education Policy, 2020 has unleashed an unprecedented attack on the education system of India. As the NEP2020 is getting implemented, we can find that Indian history is getting more and more saffronised. It is not just a matter of communalism but it is a broad matter of viewing history and science from the lens of the oppressor. The Corporate-Saffron fascist regime in India can be identified with an unholy nexus between the neo-liberal corporate class and the brahmanical forces. All the state institutions, ranging legislature to judiciary and bureaucracy to military, and the other non-state institutions like media, NGOs, etc. are under the firm grip of these ultra-right fascist forces. The attack on the education system, which we are currently facing, is a reflection of this neo-fascist regime, which trapped the students in a vicious circle of unemployment and competition on one side, and the witch hunting and suppression of democratic voices on the other side.
The desocialization of human beings was a process that created a base for making students mere silent supporters of these policies. This started from the neo-liberalisation and has reached its culmination with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Even after the lockdown, the socialization of students was curbed by running the classes online. The digitalisation of education itself is the final step for permanently alienating the student from his society. That’s why, NEP is a part of the neo-liberal agenda of dehumanizing education in all ways possible. The psychological impact of this is also highly grave. Increasing cases of depression, schizophrenia, etc. are some impacts of this anti-human social setup, of which the education system also played a very big role. When the state is doing social engineering to make the people act as mere robots that do not oppose the unjust policies they make, there is no scope for a united struggle, until we generate a consciousness in them to realize this crisis of humanity that the corporate forces have pushed us into.
The crisis in education is also a philosophical one. It is the result of an attack on the rational and logical perspective of viewing science and history. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Periodic Table are some of the important aspects of science, which are removed from the syllabus. Even if the government is claiming that it is due to COVID-19 and reducing workload of students, they simultaneously say that it is a part of the provision in NEP2020 to modify and renew the syllabus as per the changing circumstance. The ministers and officials are also confusing the people by claiming that they are not removed. These portions are there in the 11th and 12th class syllabus. It is only removed from 10th class to avoid repetition. Here, they are divorcing science from humanity by confining science to a tool of “development”. This is the subjugation of science by finance capital. In simple terms, we can say that only the one who wants to go into the science field should learn about evolution and matter, when these concepts are basics for creating a scientific temper and rational thought. The so-called “specialization” that the government intensified here is destroying occupational mobility on one side and the humanistic and rationalistic outlook on the other. Thus, the “rationalization of syllabus” ultimately leads to rationalization of the education system.
Also, the GAI and ChatGPT have also made a qualitative leap in the technological exploitation of humans. This is by hijacking human creativity and making it a commodity. This will be reflected in the education system and research also, in turn will make technology an intelligent destructive force that controls the world through its “Artificial Intelligence”, which lacks human rationality and wisdom. These questions are to be tackled to prevent the complete deterioration of the education system.
Now, we are discussing that students are becoming more and more apolitical. The depoliticization of human beings is in fact the result of the same dehumanization. We all know that human beings are political animals. If the human being itself gets dehumanised, the depoliticisation falls as an effect of this. These things can’t be seen in isolation. The political discourse of students in the campuses are ultimately tending towards a complete shutdown. This will pave way for an unbridled plundering of students through the commoditised education system. The neo-fascism, which is a result of the crisis of neo-liberalism, is leading the people towards a humanitarian crisis. That’s why, the reversal of the social effects in the period of neo-fascism is more difficult than that of classical fascism. This is also a reflection of the augmentation of the destructive nature of international finance capital to an unprecedented level.
Earlier there was social engineering and social demagoguery during the period of Hitler. Also, the bourgeois democracy was also completely shut down. Now, the social demagoguery and social engineering has increased multifold. Whatsapp Universities are working as a tool for this. The arrival of ChatGPT will also reproduce the same information that is dominantly available in the internet. The Gujarat state board textbooks mentioned Hitler as a glorious leader during Modi’s term as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Riots against Muslims and Dalits, demolition of Babri Masjid, undemocratic UAPA, CAA-NRC etc. are justifiable in the consciousness of the common people, now. This is a result of this process of social engineering, which existed in Nazi Germany and now, in RSS’s India. This paradigm shift in consciousness is a result of a deliberate and well-organised process of distortion of history and science and legitimisation of the enslavement of the people to the anti-dalit, anti-tribal, anti-woman, anti-LGBTQIA+ social norms, which creates multiple fetters on the working class. Here, the fascistisation of the education system played a big role in legitimizing all these norms. The example of Gujarat High Court justifying child marriage in the name of Manusmriti itself exposes, how this ultra-reactionary ideologies are being legitimised.
On the other hand, the students and youth still believe in the existence of a democratic setup in India. This neo-fascism is far more pernicious than the classical one as they created an illusion of democracy and Constitution. The illusion of democracy is more dangerous than the absence of democracy. People feel that we are not affected, thus, we shall keep quiet. This illusion of democracy prevents the people from uniting for a mass movement against this fascist regime. But still, the prospects are not so dim. We could even witness the Olympic medal winning wrestlers on the streets to protest against this fascist regime. That’s why, hopes are still alive. The most important task here in front of the students is to reclaim the democracy of students from the hijack of the fascist forces. This question of democracy is an immediate one because without democratic rights, without right to protest, we can’t stand face to face with this BJP-RSS’s regime. The struggle for saving education from the tentacles of the corporate-fascist forces is a prerequisite for rescuing the entire humanity from this crisis.
Niranjan K S– Central Committee Member of All India Revolutionary Students Organisation, Law Student of Jamia Millia Islamia
