SFI meet begins, students protest over 'erosion' of education system
The Students Federation of India (SFI) has launched a three-day protest in Visakhapatnam against the central government's education policies. Leaders alleged widespread corruption in national examinations, funding cuts, and the privatization of public education institutions.
Why it matters
The protests highlight growing student unrest regarding the integrity of national testing agencies and the broader debate over the privatization of public education in India.
The three-day National Executive Committee meeting of the Students Federation of India (SFI) began on Monday in Visakhapatnam. Students took out a rally demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and raised slogans in support of public education. The rally culminated in a public meeting at the Gurajada Kalakshetram in Siripuram.
Addressing the gathering of students, SFI All India General Secretary Srijan Bhattacharya alleged that the BJP-led Centre had presided over widespread ‘leakages' in examinations and education funding over the past decade, with 1.20 lakh government schools shut nationally and cuts to the mid-day meal scheme, scholarships and fellowships.
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