Modi government has put India’s education system in ICU: Congress

NSUI President Vinod Jakhar during a protest at CBSE headquarters in New Delhi. | Photo credit: ANI

The Congress on Monday (July 6, 2026) accused the Modi government of putting India’s education system in “ICU” and pressed its demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign, an investigation into his alleged links with the paper leak mafia and a comprehensive reform of the system.

Party president and NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is meeting students across the country and listening to their concerns so that the education system can be overhauled.

“With the same objective, Rahul Gandhi Ji had a presentation among students and their parents in Kota. Now we are developing this campaign in different parts of the country. We are collecting suggestions from students, teachers and parents,” said Mr. Kumar.

He addressed the 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 change the education system and set it right,” Kumar said.

According to him, the Modi government has placed the Indian education system in ICU.

Listing out the party’s demands, Mr. Kumar said that Mr. Pradhan should resign and an investigation should be conducted into his links with the paper leak mafia.

“The Indian education system should be reformed, for which the UPA government formed a committee, but the NDA government arbitrarily set up the NTA.

“A proper youth work calendar should be issued and the academic calendar should be released for exam recruitment processes,” demanded Mr. Kumar.

In his remarks to a journalist, Mr. Jakhar claimed that the country’s education system is in shambles and educational institutions are in shambles.

“Across the country, student union elections were shut down as part of a conspiracy, allowing BJP-RSS affiliates to maintain authoritarian control over college and university campuses,” he said.

Mr. Jakhar said that the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University was getting repeated extensions, which raised serious questions. “On what basis is their tenure being extended,” he asked.

“Today, if any student raises his voice on campus, he faces legal cases. Colleges and universities are being recruited by individuals who subscribe to a particular ideology. That’s why NSUI has initiated elections for this organization; through elections, we will form our units in every campus,” he said.

NSUI will give such students an opportunity to raise their voice, he added.

Mr Mugabasav said the election schedule would be announced by state, according to a list provided by the NSUI.

“The first step will be membership in the states identified by the NSUI. After that, the Chief Electoral Authority (CEA) will visit the respective state, hold a press conference and officially announce the conduct of the elections.

“The whole process will be tech-savvy, with an online application-based system that is free, fair and transparent,” he said.

Mr. Shastri said the Congress leadership has set up a Central Election Authority to conduct internal elections in the NSUI on April 30, which will seek to ensure free and fair elections across the country.

Published – 06 Jul 2026 17:11 IST