Critical Sites of Inclusion in India's Higher Education

This book explores the complexities of education policies in a multicultural state, highlighting the challenges to the idea of 'inclusion' through judicial interventions, policy frameworks, and everyday experiences. Higher education is crucial for empowerment in socially stratified societies, but disputes over inclusion remain a critical feature. Policy makers, political theorists, and educationists are examining the question of inclusion and education as a public-good, but contemporary India has witnessed an unprecedented attack on academic freedom and free exchange of ideas.

Format: Hardback
Length: 191 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2022
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This book delves into the often overlooked practices and policies that underpin the rhetoric of 'inclusion' through theoretical and empirical analysis. It highlights the complexities of education policies in a multicultural state by examining the challenges to the concept of 'inclusion' through judicial interventions, policy frameworks, and the everyday experiences of individuals.

Higher education holds immense significance in empowering individuals in socially stratified societies, such as India, where deep inequalities exist. Disputes over inclusion remain a crucial aspect of the Indian higher education sector, as it is seen as a means of facilitating access to economic opportunities and providing vertical mobility for marginalized communities. Higher education empowers individuals by expanding their horizons of thought and ideas, fostering freedom, dignity, equality, and enabling them to actively participate in political and sociological discourses within democratic polities. Consequently, policy makers, political theorists, and educators have been actively examining the question of inclusion and education as a public good.

However, contemporary India has witnessed an unprecedented attack on academic freedom, free exchange of ideas, and expressions, posing a threat to the very idea of inclusion and inclusiveness. This attack undermines the fundamental principles of a democratic society, where the exchange of diverse perspectives is essential for the growth and development of individuals and society as a whole.

It is crucial to address these challenges and uphold the principles of academic freedom, free expression, and inclusivity in higher education. This requires a collective effort from policymakers, educators, and society as a whole to promote inclusive education policies, create an environment that fosters diversity and respects different viewpoints, and protect the rights of individuals to engage in critical thinking and intellectual discourse.

In conclusion, this book provides valuable insights into the complexities of education policies in a multicultural state and highlights the importance of promoting inclusion and inclusiveness in higher education. It serves as a call to action for policymakers, educators, and individuals to work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive society where the rights and opportunities of all individuals are respected and protected.

Weight: 412g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811682551
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022