Congress Launches "Chhatron Ki Goonj" Campaign: Can Education Become India's Biggest Political Issue?

The Indian National Congress (INC) has created a nationwide campaign called 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (students' voice) and education and youth issues have been given a prominent role in the Congress political agenda. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of issues like exam paper leaks, spiraling education costs, the lack of jobs and the pressure placed on students. As part of the campaign, Congress has announced press conferences in 28 cities of the country and has asked the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to step down.

The campaign comes in the wake of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's recent outreach to students at the city of Kota, known for coaching institutes, in Rajasthan. He claimed that the education system in India is becoming costlier, competitive, and stressful for students, and continuous examination controversies have led to a lack of trust among the people.

The government has been criticized by Congress for ignoring structural issues in education. The party demanded changes in the examination system, affordable education, and improved employment opportunities for youth to address these issues. It has also decried excessive privatization and centralisation of education sector.

The BJP has brushed aside these claims, and education is likely to be a big issue in politics. A few topics that have grown significant for millions of students and their families, such as paper leaks, reforms to the competitive exams and youth employment.

The “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign has importance as it tries to raise student issues as a national political one before the next elections. This will now depend on the public reaction and government action over the next few months whether it becomes a policy change or a slogan. Education is once again the core of the political debate in India, for now.