The low politics of higher education: saffron branded neoliberalism and the assault on Indian universities

Abstract

Through an examination of recent events and controversies at Indian universities, this article reflects on the neoliberal creep taking over academia. The narrative connects the suicide note of a Dalit caste doctoral student, a student festival of political dissent, missives from the education minister, the financialization of higher education, and a market-oriented performance management system to discipline the professoriate. The latter element in the narrative is illustrated through my own teaching and research practice whose intellectual foundations draw on Professor Frank Fischer’s scholarship. This personal reflection draws on my experiences in seeking to inhabit the role of a facilitator of participatory learning, engaging directly with policy actors and their cultural modes of communication.