PORTRAIT OF THE TEACHER AS A BUSINESSMAN

Every year we college teachers are required to give a written undertaking to the effect that we are not giving any private tuition to our students. It is another matter that most who give such undertakings do merely consider it only as a piece of useless paper.It is also quite another matter that people who are engaged in other professions having no proper qualifications want to cash in on this situation.

Over the last 18 years, I have been witness to many of my colleagues who have no qualms in making money by providing their ‘valuable time and knowledge’ to the needy students ostensibly to help their pupils. So much so that a senior colleague who was not in the habit of taking classes while in service is showing keen interest in classes even after his superannuation.

There have been instances where the whole tuition exercise has become a business. In Economics,       costs( expenditure) are classified under two heads: fixed and variable.The costs that remain constant irrespective of the quantity of output are called fixed costs while the variable costs are those that are related directly to the quantity of output. When it comes to tuition at home, the fixed costs mostly relate to the use of electricity for the fan and the light.Even when no tuition is in progress, the use of electricity remains the same for the teacher and his family needs it. On the side of the variable side, the costs remain very less at almost zero, since most students are not even provided with chairs or tables.So in my humble opinion, the costs are as good as zero while the benefits in terms of the money paid by the students is great. Economic theory explains that the producer finds it profitable to produce as long as the marginal revenue (benefit) exceeds the marginal cost (expenditure). In this way, it is most profitable to give tuitions from the confines of the home.In terms of Opportunity cost also, they are on a sound wicket with them putting their time and effort to good use.The teachers very often outsource talent from outside their homes to ‘educate and discipline’ their own children.

The teachers often come up with ingenious plans to overcome competition. Cartels and alliances are formed to drive away rivals out of business. Very often, the cartels are shortlived but the rivalries provide a lifetime of bad blood. Discounts are offered for carte blanche packages. When things become hot, the teachers form tutorial centres with someone else being put in charge to run the operations. This is proxy capitalism.If both the husband and wife are teachers, then it is profitable in more ways than one.A few years ago, when the authorities wanted to take stern action against the offenders, the students had to go at odd hours, sometimes even before the sunrise. Some teachers forbid the use of shoes and cycles so as not to attract the attention of others.

It is the teachers of the Science subjects that command the most of the tuition market primarily owing to the practicals. It is common knowledge that students going to tuitions are often rewarded with good marks in the practical examinations.The teachers of Mathematics and English make the students quake in their shoes in the classrooms. The teachers make the subjects more difficult than what they are in reality. The English teachers make the students believe that knowledge of Grammar is essential to succeed in the examination for which tuition is the only alternative.

Whether it is the revised scales in line with the recommendations of the 6^th Pay Commission or the UGC, the tuitions still matter to these wise men. It is only money and the greed for it that drives the teachers to give tuitions although the givers give different and often ludicrous justifications. One former colleague of mine, a Lecturer of Mathematics pointed out that he was doing a service to the society by helping out the needy. On the other side, a Chemistry colleague wants teachers to give tuitions in order to have ‘a grip’ on the students.It is not uncommon to find students often at the receiving end of the teacher for not going to the house of the teacher.The Chemistry colleague of mine does not shy away from predicting the failure of students who are not obliging. I can cite two examples.One student who went all the way to qualify in the IIT entrance was called arrogant. The other student who is very well placed now was so much harassed that he went to the teacher. These people do not shy away from giving lengthy discourses on corruption and favouritism and that too in public spaces! Some even had the gall and temerity to ask others to send text messages in support of the movement led by Anna Hazare and company.It is all the more easy to get students when the college is granted autonomy where the ‘grip’ of the teacher is considerably stronger.

The society also in a way encourages this practice where teachers are more proactive in tuitions rather than in the classrooms.The quality of a teacher is often estimated on the basis of number of bicycles in front of his house.This is what I call a ‘cycle index’. Students are often chided by their parents for spending more time in the college for they learn more from the tuition teacher directly.

What makes the situation appalling is the fact that most of the teachers who are engaged in giving tuitions at home or go to some tutorial centres do not want their children to study in their institutions.Their children are sent to other colleges, in some cases to colleges outside the state.Wonder, if the teachers are not sure of their own abilities? This is one point that is missed by other parents and students.

Then there are the ‘professionals’ who are not engaged in the teaching profession but give tuitions either on a full time or a part time basis.Some of them have really made it big on the fiscal front and they get more respect in the streets in relation to a teacher who does not give tuitions. They make it a point to ensure that their students do not go to the college for the classes by scheduling their tuitions in parallel to the college timings. This leads to situations where the students even do not know the names of the teachers in the college. The college teacher is simply known by the subject.The tuition teacher is more respected for he has the ability to teach many a subject while the college teacher can claim knowledge of only one subject.