New Delhi, Aug. 20 -- I studied in a Jesuit school in the coastal town of Kannur - then, Cannanore - in North Malabar, Kerala. The education system in Kerala was then heavily influenced by student politics, even in schools. Many student unions were aligned with political parties, and strikes frequently disrupted college life. It was often the students who bore the consequences, as political narratives overshadowed the genuine concerns of the students.

Looking back after nearly six decades, another lesson stands out. Issues affecting education, governance or society will inevitably have political dimensions, and that is natural in a democracy. However, when every issue becomes a political battleground, the original concern can easily get ...