Agartala, April 16, 2025: The All India Save Education Committee (AISEC) has launched a scathing attack on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, demanding its immediate withdrawal and branding it as “anti-people” and “killing the lifeblood of education.” At a press conference held at the Agartala Press Club on Tuesday, committee representatives alleged that the policy was imposed undemocratically and is pushing the education sector into crisis.
“This policy is a complete disaster for education across the country, including Tripura. It was forced through without consulting educationists, intellectuals, or even the Parliament. The government’s move is against the values cherished by India’s renaissance leaders,” said AISEC members during the press meet.
The committee accused the central government of shirking its financial responsibility towards education. “While earlier education commissions recommended allocating at least 10% of the central budget and 6% of the GDP to education, this year’s allocation has shockingly fallen to around 2.5% and 3% respectively. This is leading to rampant privatization and commercialization,” they stated.
Criticizing the University Grants Commission’s draft regulations for 2025, the committee said, “Central control over appointments of Vice-Chancellors in state universities is undemocratic. Through centralized exams like CUET, NEET, and NET, the system now benefits coaching centers while marginalizing students from lower and middle-class backgrounds.”
They also condemned Tripura’s ‘Vidyajyoti’ project, calling it a local extension of NEP 2020. “Around 511 schools have been closed, and 125 are being shifted to CBSE without justification. English medium has been introduced without the necessary infrastructure or teachers. Additional fees are being collected from students in violation of the Right to Education Act,” they alleged.
The committee announced that it has drafted an Alternative Education Policy, which will be unveiled on May 9, Rabindra Jayanti, in all state capitals. “We will refine the draft after gathering feedback nationwide and finalize it at a national-level ‘People’s Parliament’ in Bangalore in December 2025,” they said.
