The Congress on Monday accused the Modi government of putting India’s education system in “ICU” and stressed its demands that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign, his alleged links with the paper leak mafia should be investigated and there should be comprehensive reforms in the system.
Party leader and NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar said that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is meeting students across the country and listening to their concerns, so that the education system can be improved.
Kumar said, “With the same objective, Rahul Gandhi ji had given a presentation among students and their parents in Kota. Now we are taking this campaign forward in different parts of the country. We are compiling suggestions from students, teachers and parents.”
He was addressing a press conference along with NSUI president Vinod Jakhar and party leaders Kiran Mugabasav, Nishant Mandal and KK Shastri.
“In the coming days, we will create an education charter to transform the education system and get it right,” Kumar said.
Modi government has put India’s education system in ICU, he alleged.
Listing the party’s demands, Kumar said Pradhan should resign and his links with the paper leak mafia should be investigated.
“India’s education system should be reformed, for which the UPA government had formed a committee, but the NDA government arbitrarily established NTA.
“A regular job calendar should be issued for the youth and an academic calendar should be issued for the examination recruitment processes,” Kumar demanded.
In his remarks at the press conference, Jakhar claimed that the country’s education system is in disrepair and educational institutions are being ruined.
“As part of a conspiracy, student union elections have been stopped across the country, allowing BJP-RSS affiliated organizations to maintain their authoritarian grip on college and university campuses,” he alleged.
Jakhar said that the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University is getting extensions again and again, which raises serious questions.
He asked on what basis his tenure was being extended.
He said, “If any student raises his voice on campus today, he is threatened with being implicated in legal cases. Individuals belonging to a specific ideology are being recruited in colleges and universities. That is why NSUI has initiated organization elections; we will form our units in every campus through elections.”
He said that NSUI will give such students an opportunity to raise their voice.
Mugabasawa said the election schedule would be announced state-wise, according to the roster provided by the NSUI.
“The first step will be a membership drive in the states identified by NSUI. Then the Chief Election Authority (CEA) will visit the concerned state, hold a press conference and officially announce the election process.”
“The entire process will be tech-savvy with an app-based, online system, which is free, fair and transparent,” he said.
Shastri said the Congress leadership has constituted a Central Election Authority to conduct internal elections in NSUI on April 30, which will work to ensure free and fair elections across the country.