Indore, Sep 19 (IANS) Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday sharply criticised the education system, examination process and youth-related policies while addressing the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.
He said the responsibility of running the education system lies with the Union government, but the reverse is happening in the country.
Rahul Gandhi claimed that the entire education system is being “rewound”.
He said that earlier IITs and schools were built, but now the system is being reversed.
Displaying slides with figures, the Congress leader alleged that before 2014 the Union government spent 4.6 per cent of the budget on education, which has now fallen to 2.6 per cent.
He claimed that Rs 7.7 lakh crore meant for education had gone into the hands of billionaires.
Rahul Gandhi contrasted students with ‘Andhbhakts’ (blind followers), saying students ask questions and remain curious while blind followers live in their own world, spread hatred instead of love, display arrogance instead of humility, and lack honesty.
On the examination system, the Congress leader said some candidates had also made mistakes, but their trust in the system had been broken.
Students in the audience shouted, “Sir, we have lost to the system.”
Rahul Gandhi alleged that corrupt people within the system leak question papers for money and play with the future of lakhs of students.
“If corrupt individuals remain part of the examination process and the system itself becomes corrupt, the loss will be borne by the students,” he said.
An MBBS student from the audience claimed that for the past eight years, 13 per cent of posts in every recruitment were kept on hold after the preliminary, mains and interview stages.
He said that around four lakh youth and directly 87,000 candidates were affected, and that the Union government repeatedly cited court cases to delay results.
Many candidates had become overage while waiting for appointments.
Rahul Gandhi said education is not a luxury but the right of every student.
The Union government’s responsibility, he added, is to take a child from kindergarten and mid-day meals through school and college to employment.
“Students form the foundation of the nation, and the system must provide them education and job opportunities.”
He declared that the theme of the Indore programme was “System versus Students”, and that young people would explain how the system is affecting their future.
The event is part of the ongoing ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ series that has earlier been held in Kota, Dehradun and Pune.
–IANS
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