Modi govt gutted education, destroyed youth's future: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of paralysing and gutting India's education system over 12 years. He claimed this has destroyed the future of an entire generation, citing school closures and faculty shortages.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the Centre of "paralysing and gutting" the country's school and higher education landscape over the past 12 years. In an X post, Kharge asserted that the future of an entire generation of India’s youth has been "recklessly destroyed & sacrificed." "Modi Govt has paralysed and systematically gutted education over the last 12 years. The future of an entire generation of India’s youth has been recklessly destroyed & sacrificed," he said.

Modi Govt has paralysed and systematically gutted education over the last 12 years. The future of an entire generation of India’s youth has been recklessly destroyed & sacrificed. pic.twitter.com/tmIoYBKyGd — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) September 5, 2026

Video Highlights Alleged Failures

A video attached to the post cited extensive figures targeting the government's infrastructure record, claiming that 94,000 government schools have been closed under BJP rule, averaging 25 closures per day. The video also showcased the story of a 47-year-old widowed mother in Maharashtra who ran barefoot in a marathon to win a prize of 3,000 rupees to afford her daughter’s education, framing it as a stark symbol of public desperation under current policies.

Furthermore, it alleged that 7,993 schools with zero students continue to draw official funds, while 1.19 lakh schools operate without functional electricity, and 50% of secondary schools lack science laboratories. The video claimed that only 5.4% of schools offer a continuous journey from Class 1 to Class 12, with four out of ten children "dropping out" before reaching higher secondary level.

Faculty Shortages and Exam Integrity Questioned

Pointing to faculty shortages, the video underlined an alleged vacancy rate of 39% in IITs and 56% vacant professor posts across Central Universities. It also criticised the government over alleged 52 major exam paper leaks since 2014, pointing specifically to the NEET 2024 paper leak as a breaking point.

Human Toll and Budgetary Concerns

The video further highlighted a human toll, claiming an 80% surge in student suicides over the decade, amounting to 1.23 lakh deaths. Finally, it targeted fiscal allocations, stating that despite promises of allocating 6% of GDP to education, actual delivery stands at 4.1%. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)