Academic Deprofessionalization: A Case Study of the Effects of Privatization on Academic Profession in Private Indian Universities

Abstract

This article explores the consequences of privatization on academic profession in the Indian universities. Drawing upon the Marxist framework, the subjective work experiences of academics in the capitalist universities are analyzed through a critical lens. Based on 37 qualitative interviews with academics from five universities in northern India, the article argues that a process of deprofessionalization of academics is underway in the privately owned universities that work on the logic of capital. Using a qualitative methodology, the article concludes that the professional status of the academics, the status of their profession, and their professional autonomy have significantly declined in such universities. This has led to oppressive work environments where some academics resort to subterranean strategies to maneuver their repressive workplaces. The Indian case provides insights into how capitalist relationships intersect with traditional hierarchies inside these universities, thus intensifying the academic oppression of a particular kind.