The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has voiced strong objections to Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil’s recent announcement regarding the establishment of six new government medical colleges through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
During a press conference in Mysuru, Minister Patil unveiled the plan, which AIDSO district secretary Nithin condemned as a significant stride towards the privatization, commercialization, and corporatization of the education sector, particularly medical studies. Nithin asserted that the PPP model, often presented as a path to development, merely serves as a mechanism to transfer public assets into the hands of private entities driven by profit. He warned that such models typically result in inflated fees, a decline in academic quality, and effectively bar students from economically disadvantaged and middle-class families from accessing essential medical education.
In an official statement, AIDSO emphasized that education, particularly in the medical field, should not be treated as a commercial product but rather as a fundamental social right that the government is obligated to guarantee. The organization urged the government to resist pressure from corporate interests and instead commit sufficient public funds to bolster and expand medical institutions that are entirely state-owned and operated.
AIDSO has issued a call to action, urging students, educators, and all forward-thinking members of society to actively oppose this “anti-people” initiative. They demand that any new medical colleges be established and managed exclusively under public ownership and with full democratic oversight.