SPECIAL FEATURE: BAPUJI EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Charting a course

Interview with Shamanur Shivashankarappa, honorary secretary, BEA.

RAVI SHARMA

Much of the credit for what the Bapuji Educational Association (BEA) has achieved goes to its dynamic chief executive and honorary secretary of 30 years, Shamanur Shivashankarappa. The 70-year-old former Member of Parliament singlehandedly transformed the BEA from an organisation concerned solely with initiatives in education to one with a broader vision. Excerpts from an interview he gave Ravi Sharma:

What is the main aim of the Bapuji Educational Association?

To provide education to people in the surrounding areas, especially those from the rural and economically weaker sections.

Is it difficult for private managements to run professional colleges?

Yes. Today it is very, very difficult. The money that we get is not enough to meet even the salary of our employees. There are too many restrictions on admissions and fees. Earlier when we had a free hand, we accommodated the children of rural people, city dwellers, people from our community and our employees. Today I cannot help even my own son.

Are you satisfied with the work that has been accomplished by the BEA during your tenure as honorary secretary?

I shouldn't boast, but if you insist I can humbly say that today, without the Bapuji Educational Association, Davangere is nothing.

What are the Association's future plans?

We are building a Rs.45-crore, 800-bed general hospital in the heart of Davengere, a dedicated cancer hospital on the outskirts of Davengere and a medical college and teaching hospital on a 70-acre campus near the Davengere bypass. We are also considering the idea of starting a super speciality hospital in Rajarajeswarinagar, Bangalore, for which we have already been allotted land. Want of funds has temporarily stopped the project.

Many of the hospitals in the private sector are making losses. Does not this worry you?

Running a hospital means losses. That is perfectly all right. But we (private managements) must be allowed (by the government) to make up the loss from admissions (to medical/dental/engineering colleges). This way we can still run a hospital even though it makes losses. To some extent, fees and admissions to professional colleges must be in our hands.

In other words, professional education should be in private hands?

It was like that earlier. But gradually private managements misused their position. They commercialised private education. Hence the government and the courts stepped in and introduced strict regulations. Recently a judgment by an 11-member Bench of the Supreme Court spelt out more freedom to private managements.

The judgment seems to have pleased private managements.

I still have to discuss the judgment with the (State) government.

I thought you did not want State government interference.

But that does not mean no regulations. Some government control should be there. Without any governmental control higher/professional education will become chaotic. It is certainly desirable to have some government restrictions even in private education.

Is the BEA looking for deemed university status?

No. We are not interested in it. We have not applied for it, nor shall we.

But there have been voices from within your management that do not seem to be too happy with the fact that your institutions (barring professional colleges) come under Kuvempu University.

Yes. From the logistic point of view it would be better to have a university at Davengere itself. There are a number of colleges here. It is also a city with more facilities than Shimoga (where Kuvempu University is located).

Unlike other associations connected with education, the BEA has not moved out of Davengere. Why?

For administrative purposes, we do not want to move. But we may start a non-professional college at Nagarbhavi in Bangalore.

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