The recent news of Mount Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School in Cementnagar, Chandrapur, Maharashtra, losing its management to the Adani Foundation has shocked the local community. A lot of concerns and questions have been raised by the General Resolution dated September 27, which was made public a few days ago.

Why, after more than 50 years of successful operation under the direction of the Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel, has the management of the school been abruptly and without explanation transferred to a corporate behemoth? Who made the proposal for this change, and what are the underlying reasons? What are the implications of this change for the school’s and the area’s educational system’s future? These are not only urgent concerns for the people involved in the school but also have wider ramifications for the dynamics of education, politics, and corporate power in India.

The Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel and ACC, a well-known cement manufacturer, collaborated to create Mount Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School in 1972. ACC has a history of supporting infrastructure development and education in the communities surrounding its operations through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The school, which received funding from these CSR initiatives, soon gained a reputation for its rigorous academic programs and all-encompassing instruction.

Mount Carmel Convent developed into one of the most prestigious institutions in the area over time, turning out well-rounded graduates who have found success in a variety of international professional fields. It was believed that its long-standing partnership with ACC was a mutually beneficial one that complemented ACC’s mission to use education to improve society.

There is not been much clarification since the recent GR announcing the Sisters of the Congregation’s management transfer to the Adani Foundation. The document gives no further information other than to mention that a proposal for the handover was received. There are concerns with this ambiguity because it fails to address the main query: who proposed this idea and why?

The G.R. mentions a letter dated July 30, from the deputy director of education, Nagpur Division, but it is unclear if the deputy director was in charge of suggesting the transfer. The decision’s motives have been the subject of much speculation due to the lack of transparency.

This transfer’s timing adds to the mystery. The Adani Group, best known for its forays into the infrastructure, energy, and logistics industries, has recently increased the amount of land it owns in the education sector by means of the Adani Foundation, its charitable arm. (…)

The political overtones of this development cannot be disregarded. The mission-driven Mount Carmel Convent is run by a Catholic congregation, whose educational and religious ideals are fundamental to the institution’s operation. It is not just any school. (…)

Might this change in leadership be a part of a larger scheme to remove the Catholic administration from the school and install a more right-wing one?

There is some truth to this suspicion. The management of schools, colleges, and other educational establishments has gradually changed throughout India, frequently leading to modifications in the curriculum and general culture of the institutions.

For example, after being taken over by organizations with different ideological stances, schools that were previously run by Christian missionary groups experienced changes in administration, curriculum, and school culture. Under the Adani Foundation’s leadership, some critics worry that Mount Carmel Convent may experience a similar metamorphosis, especially if political pressure is applied to align the institution with a right-wing educational philosophy.

Adani’s explosive growth in a number of industries has drawn attention, as has its close relationship with the governing party. Gautam Adani, the head of the conglomerate, is generally regarded as friendly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP officials.

It is difficult to distinguish the philanthropic side of the Adani Foundation from the larger corporate goals of the Adani Group, even though the foundation’s involvement in education is presented as a component of its CSR initiatives.

In this particular context, one might naturally ask whether political considerations played a role in the decision to transfer management of Mount Carmel Convent; perhaps the local BJP leadership pushed for the change in order to better align the school with their ideological stance. (…)

Beyond Mount Carmel Convent, this transfer has wider ramifications. It highlights the increasing trend of political and corporate influence in education, which needs to be closely studied. The school’s constituents, including the local community, parents, teachers, and students, are entitled to an explanation of the reasons behind this transfer and its implications for the school’s future.

In the absence of transparency and accountability, forces that put ideology and profit ahead of the core goal of developing young minds may have a greater influence on the direction of education in India.

• Fr John Singarayar, Matters India
  (Divine Word Father John Singarayar, attached to Mumbai’s Institute of Indian Culture, has a doctorate in Anthropology.)