Check 'saffronisation' of education, Sonia tells NSUI

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 15. The Congress(I) president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, today called upon the National Students Union of India (NSUI) to resist attempts by the BJP to ``saffronise'' education which was reflected in changes made in syllabi as well as in research and training institutions.

At the valedictory function of the two-day National Executive and State presidents' meet of the NSUI here, Ms. Gandhi said one had to take serious note of the saffronisation process in education. ``Not just the curricula but there are efforts being made to even distort history. I hope to count on you to resist such attempts.''

Further, she said some of the innovative programmes like the Navodaya schools project and Operation Blackboard, started under the New Education Policy by the former Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, were being ignored by the present Government. Instead, the BJP-led Government was trying to commercialise education.

``As a result, the needs of poor students were being neglected. There should be an exponential increase in educational facilities for all and not just for a few. One cannot use educational institutions as a source to generate revenue,'' she said.

Expressing satisfaction over the changes brought about in NSUI functioning following the Antony Report recommendations tabled at Panchmarhi, Ms. Gandhi said the good work should continue. ``The NSUI must involve itself in more social development programmes. You must also seriously undertake the study circle programme. These circles should meet regularly, invite experts and have discussions on current issues.''

The NSUI should focus on reaching out to more students. All efforts should be made towards opening units in every college in the country. ``That would form the basis in our endeavour to reach out to the ordinary student,'' she added.

Earlier, the NSUI president, Ms. Meenakshi Natarajan, promised the Congress(I) president that by July 31, all colleges in the country would have NSUI units. According to her, three- fourths of the colleges in the country already had units and in the next few months they would be able to cover the entire country.

Listing out the programmes planned by the NSUI in the coming year, Ms. Natarajan said the union would be organising ``Rajiv Jyoti'', an eye-donation camp, in every district on May 21 to commemorate the death anniversary of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi. Career guidance camps would also be held in every district this summer to guide students seeking admissions after their Board examinations.

This apart several training programmes for NSUI members were planned in the coming year including a ``Bharat Darshan'' programme where students from all States would be selected to tour India. The NSUI national executive has also decided to observe December 6 as ``tolerance day'' from this year onwards.

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