Private supplementary tutoring in India: Debating choice and voice

Abstract

Pratichi (India) Trust
In his seminal work on Exit, Voice and Loyalty Albert Hirschman compares the market strategy of exit/choice that we use as consumers  with the collective strategy of voice that we make use of in our role as citizens, in order to demand improvement in services, opportunities and citizenly entitlements. In this presentation, we intend to draw on these two pithy concepts in order to examine the rapid expansion of ‘shadow education’ across India and then ask how far the objective of basic education as a human development priority is aided or impeded through a private solution like paid tutoring.  Focusing on the fast evolving and increasingly digitalized coaching market in India, we examine whether the private path to achieve success can compensate for the deficit in social commitment and collective voice that create public deficiencies in the first place and the rejuvenation of which is also essential for their amends.   

Introduced by 

Enrica Chiappero Martinetti, University of Pavia

Chair

Silvia Sacchetti, University of Trento