Adani’s Mount Carmel takeover

By John Singarayar

Mumbai, Sept 30, 2024: 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.

But Adani’s foray into education always draws criticism, especially in situations like this one where a management change happens without good reason. Is Adani merely using this as a part of a larger plan to expand its influence into different industries, or is there a more sinister plan behind assuming control of a facility such as Mount Carmel Convent, which has long served as a cornerstone of the neighborhood?

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.

The narrative surrounding the rise of right-wing influence in different areas of Indian society, including education, has grown in the last few years. With its emphasis on Hindu nationalism, the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come under fire for allegedly advocating policies that seek to reshape India’s educational institutions to reflect its political and cultural beliefs.

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 curricula 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.

Mount Carmel Convent is a community center where generations of students have made enduring friendships. It is more than just a place of education. This institution has been supported for more than 50 years by the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel, which is known for offering high-quality instruction based on moral and ethical principles.

In addition to being academically gifted, the sisters have played a significant role in fostering a caring environment where students develop empathy and social consciousness. The abrupt change in leadership begs the question of whether the Adani Foundation will continue to pursue these ideals in spite of its charitable aims, or if it will instead prioritize more profit-driven objectives.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the transfer’s potential impact on the school’s autonomy and character. Historically, Catholic organizations such as Mount Carmel Convent have operated with some degree of autonomy, guided by their moral and religious beliefs.

There are concerns about whether this autonomy will be compromised now that the Adani Foundation is in charge and whether the school will face pressure to follow the new management’s agenda. These worries are exacerbated by the transfer’s lack of transparency, which keeps the school community in the dark about the real reasons for the change.

This transfer may be seen as a component of a larger trend of education privatization. A notable trend in India’s education landscape is the corporate takeover of school and college management, purportedly as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Corporate support can give educational institutions much-needed financial support, but it also raises questions about the possible commercialization of education.

There is a chance that priorities in education will change from the overall development of students to more profit-driven objectives when a school’s management is turned over to a corporate entity. Even though the Adani Foundation is well-known for its charitable endeavors, questions about whether corporate interests will take precedence over education or whether education will remain the primary focus arise with the transfer of a prestigious institution such as Mount Carmel Convent.

A lot of people will be watching this management change, not just in Chandrapur but all over the nation. The influence of politics and business on education is becoming more pervasive, with Mount Carmel Convent serving as just one illustration of this trend.

The next steps will be shaped in large part by the response from the local community, parents, and alumni of the school. Those that cherish the school’s history and its enduring educational philosophy may rebel against the new administration if they propose major changes that diverge from the school’s established ethos.

It is crucial to take into account the possible advantages of this transfer at the same time. With its substantial resources, the Adani Foundation may be able to provide the school with new opportunities in the form of expanded educational programs, technological advancements, and infrastructure development.

If properly handled, this move might give Mount Carmel Convent the financial support it requires to further improve its standing and influence. But this possibility has to be balanced against the chance of jeopardizing the independence and principles of the school.

In the end, a number of concerns concerning the future of education in India are brought up by the management transfer of Mount Carmel Convent to the Adani Foundation. In a nation where public, private, and mission-driven initiatives have traditionally blended together to form education, the growing presence of big businesses in the field is both a sign of the times and a reason for alarm.

The challenge will be to make sure that education stays a public good that is available to everyone and is not just a resource to be managed by the highest bidder as more schools come under corporate management.

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.

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