The Price of Privatization: Examining Education Through Chetan Bhagat's Narrative ‘R{ƎVO⅃}UTION TWENTY20’

2. Prepared by : Avani Jani
M.A Sem: 4
Paper : Paper 207: Contemporary Literatures in English
Roll no: 3
Enrollment no: 4069206420220014
Submitted to: Department of English, MKBU
Topic: The Price of Privatization: Examining Education Through Chetan Bhagat's Narrative
‘R{ƎVO⅃}UTION TWENTY20’

3. The Price of Privatization: Examining Education Through Chetan
Bhagat's Narrative ‘R{ƎVO⅃}UTION TWENTY20’
R{ƎVO⅃}UTION TWENTY20
Love, Corruption, Ambition

4. Table of content:
● Author Introduction
● Theme of corruption in ‘Revolution 2020’
● Privatization
● Privatization in Education
● Conclusion
● References Cited

5. About the Author
● Chetan Bhagat is an Indian author, columnist, and
YouTuber, he gained recognition by being featured in Time
magazine's list of the World's 100 Most Influential People in
2010. With five of his novels successfully adapted into films,
his works have captivated audiences, particularly urban
youth, by focusing on themes relevant to contemporary
urban India. His popularity stems from his ability to resonate
with and engage a broad spectrum of Indian youth. (“Complete
List - The 2010 TIME 100 - TIME”)
● Chetan Bhagat is the author of fourteen blockbuster books. These include ten novels – Five Point Someone (2004),
One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes Of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011),
Half Girlfriend (2014), One Indian Girl (2016) The Girl In Room 105 (2018), One Arranged Murder (2020), 400
Days (2021) and four non-fiction titles— What Young India Wants (2012) Making India Awesome(2015), India
Positive (2019) and 11 Rules For Life (2024). Chetan’s books have remained bestsellers since their release. His latest
book, 11 Rules For Life, is a straight-talking guide that will change your life.

6. Theme of Corruption in ‘Revolution 2020’
● The narrative in "Revolution 2020" revolves around two central characters: MLA Shukla, a once-poor
political leader who becomes the epitome of corruption, and Raghav, the protagonist who strives to
combat corruption in India. Corruption, prevalent in both politics and education, serves as a major theme
throughout the story.
● Gopal, another key character, faces challenges securing admission to an engineering college due to his
low exam scores. Despite efforts to improve his chances through coaching classes in Kota, he fails to
secure admission to a government college. Encouraged by a friend, Vineet, Gopal explores the option of a
private college but is deterred by the high donation fees. However, with MLA Shukla's assistance, Gopal
opens his own engineering college, symbolizing his journey from adversity to success.
● The novel also sheds light on the dismal state of private colleges, as depicted through Gopal's encounter at
a Career Fair. He observes deans aggressively persuading students to enroll by offering significant
discounts. These colleges, often established by individuals from various backgrounds, prioritize profit
over quality education. Gopal's interactions with individuals like Jyoti Verma underscore the competitive
and cutthroat nature of the private college industry, where institutions disparage each other to attract
students.

7. Privatization
● The transfer of ownership, property or business from the government to the private sector is termed
privatization. The government ceases to be the owner of the entity or business.
● Privatization also refers to the acquisition of a publicly-traded company by a select group of individuals.
This results in the company being delisted from the stock market, effectively preventing the general public
from owning shares in the company. Consequently, the company undergoes a name change from "limited"
to "private limited" in its last name.
● Privatization is often viewed as a means to enhance efficiency and objectivity within a company, aspects
that may not be the primary focus of government-owned enterprises. In a significant move towards
economic reforms, India implemented privatization during the historic budget of 1991, commonly referred
to as the 'New Economic Policy' or 'LPG policy'.(“What is Privatization? Definition of Privatization, Privatization Meaning -
The Economic Times”)

8. Privatization in education
“I will give you the best discount. Don’t go to Sri Ganesh and ruin your life. They don’t even have
labs. Those pictures in the brochure are of another college”.
-Jyoti Verma to Gopal (Bhagat)
● Chetan Bhagat satirizes corruption and the compromised education system through events such as the portrayal
of 'Kota', the bribery of numerous government agencies to obtain permission for the college, and the payment of
money to well-known individuals to appoint them as lecturers at 'Ganga Tech' colleges. This tactic aims to
attract students by leveraging the reputation of these individuals, despite the fact that they never actually visit
the college. Isn’t this familiar?
● The term privatization of Education refers to many different educational programs and policies. It is a process
which can be defined as the transfer of activities, assets and responsibility from Government, Public Institutions
and organizations to private individual and agencies.
● Monika Abrol has presented the survey of privatization in education in India in 2016. The following table
shows the growth of private universities in India:

9. (Abrol)

10. ● Gujrat secures first rank in the race of privatization. Monika Abrol further suggests that “At higher
education level, Mushroom Colleges have grown rapidly. Such colleges are becoming the center for selling
degrees. After paying money, you need not attend the classes. Such institutions are more in professional
courses like Engineering, Pharmacy, Education and Management courses. Due to this, employers get low
wages. So government should check these kind of colleges in control”.
● The Hindu also shares some stetics of 140 private universities set up in India in last 5 years; maximum in
Gujarat.
● Communist party of India (Marxist) believes The implementation of NEP 2020 has accelerated the
privatization of school education in India, undermining federalism and the rights of states to shape
education. The policy centralizes education, neglecting the need to strengthen public education. It facilitates
extensive privatization, including schools run by philanthropic institutions, and introduces alternate
education models influenced by affiliated organizations. The NEP fails to address commercialization and
corruption in private institutions and deviates from the commitment to provide education as a right.
Remedies for school dropouts prioritize alternative education over public enrollment. NEP's
recommendations further deregulate and merge schools, leading to the privatization of government schools
and exacerbating social discrimination in education. Halting NEP 2020's implementation is crucial to
prevent these detrimental consequences. (Saji)

11. ● The Communist Party of India (Marxist) points out that recently, the Union Education
Minister announced new guidelines for deemed universities, which encourage their
formation. The plan is to establish a higher education commission through an act of
Parliament, after which the term "deemed" will be removed, and these institutions will be
called universities. The government has also weakened the eligibility criteria, prioritizing
the privatization of higher education.
● The Communist Party of India (Marxist) believes that over the past two decades, private
investments have predominantly led professional education in India. In the current scenario,
the government is seen to support capitalist interests by reducing government funding for
the higher education sector and allowing more space for private players. An example of this
is the collaboration between Reliance's Jio institute and prestigious institutions like IITs and

12. IISc. In professional education, the majority (76.2%) of standalone
institutions are run by the private sector, with only 23.8% in the
government sector. This clearly indicates that professional and higher
education sectors are already privatized.
● With the implementation of NEP 2020 by the government, it is likely
that remaining government institutions in higher and professional
education will also be converted into privatized entities.

13. Gyansetu Project: The state education department on tuesday made a U-turn on
it’s controversial project of setting up 400 Gyansetu Day Schools on public, private
partnership to admit bright students in Class 6 for free education and the schools
were to be paid Rs 5,000-Rs 25,000 per student every year. Now, the education
department said that the rules have been changed now, and any student who has
been selected in the merit list of the common entrance test will be admitted to the
schools that have a success rate of 80% and above and the amount which was to
be paid to the schools will be paid directly to the student.(“Govt Scraps Gyansetu
Day Schools Project | Ahmedabad News”)

14. Conclusion
● The trend of privatisation is growing in India, as the central government is
withdrawing its support for public education. This has resulted in the closure of
publicly funded institutions and a reduction in reservation opportunities.
Unfortunately, the democratic nature of education is undermined in these private
institutions, limiting progressive political activism and excluding common people
from higher education. The increase in fees in these institutions further exacerbates
the situation, making education a privilege of the rich.
● Moreover, the lack of strong regulatory bodies in the privatised education sector
allows for profit-driven practices. The current education system in India can be
described as "Education for the rich and privileged," as it prioritises
commercialisation, centralisation, and communalisation. It is crucial to resist these
policies and strive for a student-centred education system.

15. ● In conclusion, Chetan Bhagat's narrative in "Revolution 2020" sheds light on the
detrimental effects of privatization in education, highlighting its impact on accessibility,
quality, and democratic principles.
● The analysis of NEP 2020 and recent government initiatives further underscores the
acceleration of privatization trends, exacerbating social discrimination and undermining
the rights of states and marginalized communities.
● While going deep into the complexities of privatization in education, it is imperative to
advocate for inclusive and equitable education systems that prioritize the needs of all
students, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds. By challenging existing
policies and promoting student-centered approaches, one can strive towards a more just
and accessible educational landscape for future generations.

16. Reference cited
Abrol, Monika. “Emerging Trends of Privatization of Education in India.” International Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 8,
no. 1, 2026, pp. 1-6, https://www.ripublication.com/ijea16/ijeav8n1_01.pdf.
Bhagat, Chetan. Revolution Twenty20 : Love . Corruption. Ambition. RUPA PUBLICATIONS INDIA PVT Limited, 2014.
“Books – Chetan Bhagat.” Chetan Bhagat, http://www.chetanbhagat.com/books/.
“Complete List - The 2010 TIME 100 - TIME.” Videos Index on TIME.com,
https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1984685,00.html.
“Govt Scraps Gyansetu Day Schools Project | Ahmedabad News.” Times of India, 7 June 2023,
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/govt-scraps-gyansetu-day-schools-project/articleshow/100807660.cms.
Accessed 1 April 2024.

17. “140 private universities set up in India in last 5 years; maximum in Gujarat.” The Hindu, 24
December 2023, https://www.thehindu.com/education/140-private-universities-set-up-in-
india-in-last-5-years-maximum-in-gujarat/article67672032.ece.
Saji, Adarsh M. “How BJP is Pushing for Privatisation of Education.” Communist Party of India
(Marxist), 5 September 2023, https://cpim.org/views/how-bjp-pushing-privatisation-
education. Accessed 1 April 2024.
“What is Privatization? Definition of Privatization, Privatization Meaning - The Economic Times.”
The Economic Times, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/privatization.