By Manali Joshi
Legacy admission is a major issue in the USA but it’s not that prevalent in India. It is argued that public and private colleges routinely give preferential treatment to children of their alumni.
Opponents of legacy admissions claim that the disparity in the intake of students by elite colleges is a deep-rooted issue. They believe that applicants to the elite colleges should be categorized on the basis of whose parents are legacies and whose are not.
The unfortunate curse?
A 2011 study of 30 elite institutions found that the children of undergraduate alumni (“primary legacies”) were, on average, 45.1% more likely to get admitted. Harvard’s legacy admission rate hovers around 30%. Princeton’s class of 2015 admitted 33% legacy applicants as compared to Yale who claimed to have admitted only 20-25% legacy applicants.
The case against legacy admissions is very strong. Children of alumni already have an incredible built-in advantage. They are much more likely to grow up wealthy, get a good education, and have access to the resources and networks at the top of the social, economic, and political ladders. Legacy admissions serve as a reward for those who already have a leg up at the expense of those who do not have the same backgrounds.
The proponents’ side of the story
If legacy preference shows a respect for tradition as supporters of the practice argue, that tradition glorifies aristocracy and undeserved gains. It is fundamentally against the notion of universities being the great equalizers in society. It subsidizes the wealthy to line the coffers of the richest universities. However, there is no denying the fact that many children of the alumni are brilliant, hard-working and deserve a seat in a top college. Thats quite different from saying the system is fair.
In other words, elite education is predominantly for the rich. These institutions disproportionately serve as feeders for positions of wealth, power, and influence, and perpetuate existing social and income disparities. Yet these schools ardently claim to uphold social mobility and equalization.
The Indian context
Most of the admissions in India take place either on the basis of merit or through different quotas and reservation for different categories of students. However, colleges like Xaviers do have a legacy admission system, even though it serves as the last resort to getting admission.
Having said that, it is imperative for the Indian education system to be watchful of these practices.
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