"For the past few days, students across the country have been protesting, demanding reforms in the education system. The Congress party stands in complete solidarity with them," Gandhi stated. He pointed to alleged malpractices, claiming that jobs are being offered or exams manipulated for 'favoured' individuals for sums as high as 40 lakh rupees.
Students' Plight and Systemic Failures
Gandhi emphasized his agreement with the students' sentiments. "Every student feels and acts on what has happened, and we agree with them 100%. What occurred a few days ago must have consequences. It's not their fault," he remarked.
Dismissing concerns about his own treatment, Gandhi redirected focus to the students' predicament. "How I am treated means nothing to me. I don't care. Even if I am treated five times worse, it makes no difference. The real focus should be on what happened to the students, on the education system, paper leaks, and the price those children have had to pay. So, do whatever you want with me — five times, ten times — I don't care. In fact, I like it because I learn from it," he said, adding, "I don't care about the government's allegations; they have no effect on me."
Gandhi declared that India's education system, once among the world's best, is now "rigged" and requires urgent transformation. He outlined several key issues:
- The education system is in dire need of reform.
- It impacts approximately 7.5 crore families across the nation.
- There have been 152 paper leaks in the last 10 years, averaging more than one per month.
- No individual has been punished in any of these cases to date.
- The entire system has become unaffordable for many.
- Students have suffered immense injustice.
- The government collects taxes and then allocates a budget for education.
- An estimated 1.32 lakh crore rupees are privately spent by families of students taking the NEET exam annually, nearly equivalent to the entire education budget of 1.40 lakh crore rupees, highlighting the scale of the alleged 'game'.
"Dharmendra Pradhan is an incompetent Education Minister; he should resign. This is the students' demand, and we support it," Gandhi asserted. He also condemned the alleged use of pellet guns against students, demanding action against those responsible and an apology from the government to the student community.
FAQ
Q1: Why is Rahul Gandhi demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation?
A1: Rahul Gandhi is demanding Pradhan's resignation due to widespread student protests, allegations of paper leaks, and concerns that the education system has become 'rigged' and unaffordable, benefiting corporations over students.
Q2: What specific issues did Rahul Gandhi highlight regarding the education system?
A2: Gandhi highlighted 152 paper leaks in the last 10 years with no convictions, the system becoming unaffordable for 7.5 crore families, and the significant private expenditure by students' families on exams like NEET, which nearly matches the national education budget. He also mentioned alleged corruption in job placements and exam results.
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