It has been observed so far that students and parents are adversely affected, due to which the Students Federation of India has announced massive protests under the slogan ‘Save Education, Save Democracy, Save Nation’. They are demanding to establish a nation-wide fully state-funded and free common education system from kindergarten to postgraduate level and increase government spending on education.
Looking at the fundings being cut down by universities such as JNU, who have even stopped subscribing important academic journals by citing the scarcity of fund, the students are worried, which lead to the raging anger in them.
“The central government has given green signal to start Self-financing courses in public universities and colleges, in the name of autonomy. On the one side seats have been reduced in higher education institutions while on the other there is a complete dismantling of reservation,” a statement from the student bodies said.
“The federal character of Indian education is under severe attack, with initiating central policies without taking the peculiarities of each state and their representation in decision making into cognizance,” they said.
According to the organizers, students will be mobilized from across the nation for a massive student march to parliament on February 18.
“There will be an intensive campaign throughout the country highlighting the issues of education as part of this ‘Delhi Chalo’ call by the left student organizations. Conventions and seminars will be held in all states rallying all democratic and secular sections,” the statement said.
The conditions that are being laid down against the govt. are:
- Establish a nation-wide fully state-funded and free Common Education System from KG to PG.
- Increase government spending to at least 6% of the GDP and 10% of the central budget on education.
- Enact Bhagat Singh National Employment Guarantee Act (BNEGA) to ensure guaranteed employment to all.
- Stop commercialization of education.
- Implement existing reservations properly and ensure social justice in govt as well as private institutions.
- Release the money for all pending scholarships immediately and establish more fellowships for research scholars from deprived backgrounds.
- Protect federal character of education and resist centralization of education.
The protests have been planned under the banner of student bodies; SFI, AISF, AIDSO, AISB, and PSU.