Comments on: Country’s Oldest Girls College – St Bede’s Shimla In Financial Dire Straits

By: Reginald Massey FRSA

Reginald Massey FRSA — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:15:38 +0000

As an old Shimlaite I am concerned about St. Bede’s. Something must be done. My sister, Doe Nair, is an old Bedeian. Old Bedeians scattered all over the world must join in the ‘andolan’ to SAVE SAINT BEDE’S.

By: Margaret SIngh Punj

Margaret SIngh Punj — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:01:31 +0000

For both the above stated i have just one thing to say…when a college or an institution is suffering from loses …or is on the verge of closing IT IS NO DOUBT THE GOVERNMENTS DUTY to SAVE IT. Closing down of an institution is much easier then setting up one all over again. And in any case finally what matters is the growth of the people of the state and the country. We elect the government to take care of all this and make the country function properly.

By: Ravinder Makhaik

Ravinder Makhaik — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:05:07 +0000

Thanks for correcting me Amitava,

The college authorities claimed it to be the oldest girls college and that’s what I did term it.

It certainly is not the oldest college in the country, there must be many more.

You have not specified whether state-government run Bethune College (estd. 1879) is a girls college or a co-education college. If it is a girls college then surely it must be the oldest one in the country.

Regarding fee structure, you have a point. Privately run colleges should have their own fee structure and not rely on government support.

A problem arises if you raise fees. It does increase the profile of the students studying in such institutions but it becomes disadvantageous to poor but meritorious students who want to get admission into good colleges.

The high class and low class segregation is more starkly marked when education becomes a question of affordability and not one of merit. The point needs to be pondered.

And in a society which gives preference to boys over girls, funding good affordable education for girls whether in private or public institutions is a socially relevant cause, which you may disagree with.

By: Amitava Ray

Amitava Ray — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:31:42 +0000

There are some points of clarification which should be made here.

First although St. Bede’s College is among the oldest colleges in India, it is not the oldest. The state-government run Bethune College (estd. 1879), Kolkata deserves that credit.

Secondly, as regards its fee structure, it should charge its students. Colleges like Scottish Church College (established 1830), and Loreto College, Kolkata (another women’s college, run privately, established 1912) charge high tuition to offset their running expenses.

A college that is run privately should not expect to perpetually drain the taxpayer’s money for its own benefit. That money should be diverted to other socially relevant ends.