Paper short abstract:

The paper examines the role of non-state actors in Kerala's higher education development. The aims to address the policy discourses adopted by non-state state actors over the years with a special focus on their changing role from philanthropic to market oriented.

Paper long abstract:

This paper presents Kerala's higher educational policy ethos from 1900's which is a narrative of state's grave effort to safeguard its regional and social equity in the educational development. Building on the theoretical framework of role of the non state actors in educational development, the paper addresses two purposes . First, it attempts to understand the process and phases of higher education development in Kerala with a special focus on the role of non-state actors. Second, it aims to address the policy discourses and strategies adopted by non-state actors in the development of educational institutions and subjects choices which created new forms on educational inequality in the state. The study make use of historical data sources, data published by All-India Census and data from Kerala economic review for the analysis. However, the research has identified that contrary to the global

phenomenon of recent emergence of private players in the sector, the dominant role

of non-state actors in the development of higher education can be observed in Kerala even from 1920s. The non-state actors who were actively present in the higher education sector in the state were the caste and religious groups. Though their policies were initially philanthropic, their approach later became market oriented. Over the time they acted as pressure groups to the government which obstructs the aim of social justice and equality in education. They also created widespread inequality in terms of unequal access to educational institutions and choice of disciplines.