Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) has claimed that India’s education system has completely collapsed, with Maharashtra bearing the brunt of systemic corruption.
A scathing critique of the state and central educational framework in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ on Thursday underscored a series of exam paper leaks, illegal appointment of incompetent Vice-Chancellors, and large-scale financial scams as evidence of deep-seated decay within the academic structure.
The editorial heavily criticised the ongoing paper leak epidemic across competitive and board examinations. Highlighting recent developments, it noted that over ten examination papers were leaked in Maharashtra within a single month, followed by leaks in the MHT-CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test). “Paper leaks and grade theft are happening openly in broad daylight. Education is the foundation of society, and if the system collapses, society will collapse along with it,” the editorial warned.
The editorial pointed to viral audio and video recordings exposing severe malpractice in the CET examination system. “Candidates who scored merely 40 per cent to 50 per cent in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in their 12th Board examinations surprisingly secured 98 per cent, 99 per cent, or 100 per cent in the CET. A viral audio clip revealed a woman offering access to “special examination centres” for Rs 12 lakh, guaranteeing a 99 per cent score to candidates,” it said.
The Thackeray camp asserted that public trust in Maharashtra’s examination and educational apparatus has completely eroded, labelling the situation worse than the national NEET paper leak scandal. It attributed the decline in academic standards to the political appointment of unqualified Vice-Chancellors aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It further stated that state educational institutions and universities are being run to promote partisan agendas rather than merit.
The editorial highlighted specific instances of corruption, including a multi-crore financial discrepancy involving the Vice-Chancellor of Parbhani Agricultural University, whom the state government is reportedly protecting. Additionally, it cited the arrest of BJP leader Sanjay Garud from Jalgaon in connection with the Rs 160-crore “Shalarth ID” scam.
The editorial criticised the Central government for altering history textbooks to suit the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while erasing the contributions of the Congress, Left, and Socialists from the Indian freedom struggle. It further suggested that pressure to align with unscientific ideologies was forcing researchers and scientists to leave premier national institutions like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena pointed out the stark divide between underprivileged students and wealthy aspirants. While middle-class parents take loans to pay for expensive coaching classes, wealthy individuals purchase leaked papers and manipulate special test centres to pass. “Pune, which was once celebrated as the centre of education and knowledge, has now been defamed as a hub for paper leaks,” it stated, criticising the state government for routinely appointing special investigation teams instead of delivering structural reforms.
The editorial concluded with a sharp warning, stating that history will not forgive leaders if immediate measures are not taken to arrest the decline of the nation’s education system.
–IANS
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