‘Affordable education, strong public school system’: Students demand from Pralhad Joshi after Pradhan’s exit

NEW DELHI: With Dharmendra Pradhan no longer heading the Education ministry, several students part of the CJP protests on Saturday said they now hope the new incumbent will bring about concrete changes to the system.

Among many demands, three repeatedly emerged: transparency in the exam system , affordable and quality education, and strengthening of government schools and primary education. Raj Yadav from Ghaziabad, who has been part of the sit-in since the protest began nearly a month ago, said that the government must implement sweeping changes in the education system.

"I demand that the new minister focus on the education system. He should bring about changes across the entire system, address its flaws, and ensure it operates effectively," he said. Students maintain that the change of the minister is merely the beginning. Srishti, a resident of Laxmi Nagar in Delhi, said the high cost of education has turned studying into a struggle for many students .

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She said she has to work to fund her own education and if a paper leak occurs, its consequence is far-reaching. Srishti urged the new minister to ensure adequate teachers are appointed in all schools, education becomes affordable, and emphasis is on skill development for children in government schools .

Vikram Chaudhary from Rajasthan, who has been participating in the protest for at least a fortnight, demanded that reforms begin at the primary school level. He emphasised the need to improve the quality of education in government schools, an increase in the education budget, and better facilities for preparing for competitive exams like UPSC, NEET, and JEE.

"Education has become very expensive in this country. The government needs to address this seriously," Chaudhary said. Shaurya, a class 11 student preparing for NEET, said Pradhan's resignation has given him hope that not all is lost. "I am happy that our voices have been heard. I am confident that the new Education minister will not allow incidents like paper leaks to happen again," he said.

Gaurav Tomar, a resident of Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, who has been a part of the protest since July 20, demanded the strengthening of primary education, the promotion of skill development in government schools, and curbs on the rising cost of education. "Education is not a business; it is every child's right, and they must receive it," he said.

Shravan Kumar, a resident of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, said students should not be forced to take re-exams repeatedly and that issues such as the allocation of exam centers in remote areas need to be resolved.