NEP protests escalate: AIFUCTO calls for dharna in PM Modi’s constituency to 'save education, save nation'

Protests against the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) have intensified, with the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) calling for a nationwide dharna in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on September 13.

Several teachers’ and students’ organisations have also decided to take part in the protest to oppose the NEP 2020 policy and demand resolution to the long-pending “professional problems” of teachers and employers.

On the appeal of AIFUCTO, constituents of Joint Forum For Movement on Education (JFME), students and teachers organisations from primary to university, political parties, trade union, civil society organisations, voluntary groups will be a part of the dharana programme, it said.

Also read 5 years on, key NEP policies are failing on the ground

Five years of appeals

For the past five years, the AIFUCTO has been consistently appealing to the central government to discuss their concerns on NEP. However, the teachers group said it is “shocked and surprised over the stubborn and undemocratic mindset of the Ministry of Education”.

Members across the country have written letters to the ministry from August 9 to 31 to resolve their issues, it said, alleging that “the ministry of education is hell-bent upon implementing the retrograde National Education Policy 2020 ” and is totally “apathetic” to teachers’ problems.

“All our attempts for dialogue and discussion did not have any fruitful results,” it added.

‘Save education, save nation’

Calling the dharna as the “ultimate alternative”, AIFUCTO said the decision has been taken with a hope that the Government of India will resume the process of discussion in “the largest interest of the education and nation”.

The AIFUCTO executive body will also meet in the evening of September 13 to take stock of the situation to decide the future course of action.

“AIFUCTO still trust and believe that Hon'ble Prime Minister will respond favorably to the Democratic voice of the Teachers and Employees across the country and Save Education, Save Campus and Save Nation,” the statement added.

Also read ‘Our main issue is staff’: Why engineering colleges struggle with NEP 2020

Major issues flagged by students, teachers

Since the introduction of NEP 2020, teachers’ associations across the country have alleged that there was inadequate dialogue between educators and policymakers before rolling out the reforms.

School and college teachers have been protesting against the increasing workload, shortage of permanent faculty, delays in promotions and salaries, push for contractual appointments, and the growing privatization of education.

Meanwhile, students have expressed dissatisfaction with the multiple entry-and-exit system introduced under NEP. Nationwide protests continue over declining employability rate, widening digital divide, frequent paper leaks, and a lack of transparency in exams and admission processes.