Cobbler's son's predicament
The NDTV flashed the news about a cobbler's son, who cracked the IIT JEE exams and got admitted into the prestigious IIT. Now, the next problem starts, he can't pay the college fees.
http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/iit-cracked-but-no-money-for-fees-28788.php?u=1047
What an irony here! He has struggled hard to pass through the examinations but now finds himself at the cross roads again. His parents, who are already struggling to make their ends meet are now put in under more duress to realize their son's dream. I really pity that kid's situation.
Now, the NDTV is splashing this news and is looking for magnanimous donors to sponsor this kid's education. On one hand, I'm glad that media is playing its part in highlighting this precarious situation and hopefully help that kid to achieve his dream. On the other hand, I'm just questioning the need for the same.
I'm just thinking why can't the IITs (and other prestigious universities here) sponsor such kids' education. I think, affording the fees of such student is not a big financial stress for these universities. If that being the case, what is the need for the educational CESS, which is levied in ever tax being payed to the government? We, tax payers are already paying 2% of our Income-tax returns towards educational CESS. The very purpose of it is to help these poor and unaffordable kids.
If the government says that the CESS is only for primary education and not for universities, even then, with the financial assistance that IITs and other government driven institutions, get they can very well sponsor education for these economically backward kids. I think, this needs to be brought in place in the system itself and the universities needs to have a percentage of its students to be levied of these fees and help them achieve their goals.
If only finance is not the real constraint to the education, we can achieve bigger prosperity for the future generations of our nation. I don't know if any university follows such a practice, but I wouldn't certainly mind, if the finance minister increases the cess percentage on the IT returns from 2% to 3% to accommodate this kind of educational aid. For, I believe, the tax we pay is not only for the infrastructure development of the country but it sure must cater to the human development too.
Jai Hind!
http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/iit-cracked-but-no-money-for-fees-28788.php?u=1047
What an irony here! He has struggled hard to pass through the examinations but now finds himself at the cross roads again. His parents, who are already struggling to make their ends meet are now put in under more duress to realize their son's dream. I really pity that kid's situation.
Now, the NDTV is splashing this news and is looking for magnanimous donors to sponsor this kid's education. On one hand, I'm glad that media is playing its part in highlighting this precarious situation and hopefully help that kid to achieve his dream. On the other hand, I'm just questioning the need for the same.
I'm just thinking why can't the IITs (and other prestigious universities here) sponsor such kids' education. I think, affording the fees of such student is not a big financial stress for these universities. If that being the case, what is the need for the educational CESS, which is levied in ever tax being payed to the government? We, tax payers are already paying 2% of our Income-tax returns towards educational CESS. The very purpose of it is to help these poor and unaffordable kids.
If the government says that the CESS is only for primary education and not for universities, even then, with the financial assistance that IITs and other government driven institutions, get they can very well sponsor education for these economically backward kids. I think, this needs to be brought in place in the system itself and the universities needs to have a percentage of its students to be levied of these fees and help them achieve their goals.
If only finance is not the real constraint to the education, we can achieve bigger prosperity for the future generations of our nation. I don't know if any university follows such a practice, but I wouldn't certainly mind, if the finance minister increases the cess percentage on the IT returns from 2% to 3% to accommodate this kind of educational aid. For, I believe, the tax we pay is not only for the infrastructure development of the country but it sure must cater to the human development too.
Jai Hind!
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