Several leaders including the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi join massive demonstration in New Delhi by students affiliated with the INDIA bloc
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Student organisations affiliated with the opposition INDIA bloc staged a massive protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Monday, voicing their opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, recent exam paper leaks, privatisation of education, and new University Grants Commission (UGC) draft rules.
The protest was led by the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and saw the participation of various other student bodies, including the All India Students Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students Federation (AISF), Muslim Students Federation (MSF), Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, and Chhatra Rashtriya Janata Dal (CRJD).
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and several opposition MPs also attended the protest, supporting the students’ demands. Addressing the gathering, Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of attempting to control the education system for political gain.
Gandhi warned students against what he called the ‘saffronisation’ of education, asserting that independent thought and academic freedom were under threat. “The BJP-RSS want to control education to suppress independent thinking. Students must resist their agenda, unite, and take this movement nationwide. This is a fight for India’s future,” he said. He further claimed that placing education in the hands of the RSS would ruin the country’s academic system and future generations.
Besides Gandhi, the protestors were addressed by CPM MP from Rajasthan’s Sikar, comrade Amra Ram, Rajya Sabha MP V Sivadasan, former CPM Rajya Sabha MP Nilotpal Basu, CPI MP Santosh, CPIML MP Sudama Prashad and others.
Rahul Gandhi warned students against what he called the ‘saffronisation’ of education, asserting that independent thought and academic freedom were under threat.
All of them condemned the BJP-led Union and state governments in imposing the Manusmriti model of education and distorting history and other textbooks to make it suitable to Hindutva fascist ideology. Nilotpal Basu said efforts by the government to change the history syllabus through the NCERT textbooks is a highly condemnable act.
The NCERT chief’s specious argument that this has been done to rationalise the syllabus and reduce the burden on the students is misleading and is part of a project to rewrite history along communal lines, he added.
The student organisations raised several concerns, including the rising privatisation of education, frequent paper leaks in competitive exams, and the growing commercialisation of higher studies. NSUI national president Varun Choudhary accused the government of systematically dismantling India’s education framework to benefit private institutions. “The BJP government is systematically destroying India’s education system through privatisation, exam scams, and anti-student policies like NEP 2020. Lakhs of students are suffering due to repeated paper leaks and irregularities in competitive exams, yet the government refuses to take accountability,” he said.
During the demonstration, protesters carried placards and shouted slogans condemning the government’s education policies. The protestors demanded a transparent and fair examination system, immediate action against paper leaks, the reinstatement of student unions, and the continuation of scholarships, particularly for students from marginalised communities.
An AISA-affiliated student emphasised the urgency of the protest, stating, “We aim to draw the government’s attention to education-related issues during the second leg of the budget session.”
The students also criticised the recent UGC draft regulations regarding faculty appointments. The draft proposes a three-member search-cum-selection committee, with the state governor’s nominee as the chairperson, alongside members appointed by the UGC chairman and the university’s apex body. Protesters argued that this move would allow political appointees to take over university administration, thereby reducing academic autonomy.
SFI general secretary Mayukh Biswas accused the government of pushing a right-wing ideological agenda into academic institutions. “What we are witnessing is the increasing ideological infiltration of RSS in curricula, the commercialisation of education, and the growing exclusion of marginalised communities from academic spaces,” he said.
NSUI president Varun Chaudhary echoed similar concerns. “This policy is bogus. They are trying to place non-academic people as vice-chancellors. At this rate, any BJP-backed devotees could be running universities, even becoming vice-chancellors. No academic qualification needed, just blind loyalty,” he said.
The protest also highlighted the larger issue of unemployment among educated youth. Rahul Gandhi pointed out that despite growing unemployment, the government remains focused on issues that do not address student concerns. “The government has made the youth of the country unemployed. No one is getting jobs. The government should talk about unemployment and the future,” he said, further criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to address these issues in his recent parliamentary speeches.
The protesting students vowed to continue their movement until their demands are met. NSUI’s Varun Choudhary declared, “Instead of addressing our legitimate concerns, the BJP government is using police force to silence students. But this movement will not stop here. NSUI will continue this fight till the government is held accountable and necessary reforms are implemented.”
The large-scale demonstration at Jantar Mantar underscores the growing dissatisfaction among students regarding the current education policies. With rising concerns over academic autonomy, the future of public education, and increasing privatisation, student organisations are gearing up for more protests in the coming weeks.