An education system’s collapse, young India’s trauma, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Students across India are protesting against examination paper leaks and the general decay in the education system.
• On July 20, 2026, Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) reportedly used violence, including lathicharges and tear gas, against peaceful student protesters.
• Protesters demand accountability from the government and comprehensive education reform.
• The government is criticized for reducing budget allocation for public education and for the alleged privatization of the education sector.
• The National Testing Agency (NTA) is under scrutiny for its role in numerous paper leaks and its operational inefficiencies.

Detailed Insights:

• The protests are a direct consequence of the perceived decline in public education and a broken examination system.
• The government is accused of reducing the proportion of its budget spent on school education by 50% and higher education by 33%.
• Nearly one lakh public schools have reportedly been shut down over the last 12 years, while 43,000 private schools, some linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsev Sangh, have opened.
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has cut grants to universities, forcing them to raise fees due to high-interest loans.
• Families incur significant out-of-pocket expenses for private education and coaching for exams like the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
• India's public examination system is criticized for centralization, privatization, and politicization, replacing traditional state-level exams with centralized ones like the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
• The NTA is described as understaffed, reliant on private contractors, and engaging politically affiliated individuals for paper-setting.
• There have been 152 paper leaks across the country in the past 12 years, with 9 attributed to the NTA since its formation in 2017.
• High unemployment rates for graduates (around 40%) and a crisis in teaching due to politically appointed Vice-Chancellors and unqualified faculty exacerbate student distress.
• The National Education Policy 2020 was reportedly cleared without seeking consensus or parliamentary deliberations.
• The NTA was established as a society by the Union Cabinet without parliamentary oversight or accountability mechanisms.
• The Education Minister is criticized for dismissing recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education to strengthen the NTA.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Testing Agency (NTA): An Indian government agency established to conduct entrance examinations for admission to higher education institutions.
• National Education Policy 2020: A comprehensive framework for education in India, aiming to transform the country's education system.
• University Grants Commission (UGC): A statutory body responsible for the maintenance of standards of higher education in India.
• National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET): An all-India pre-medical entrance test for admission to undergraduate medical and dental courses.
• Common University Entrance Test (CUET): A standardized test for admission to various undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs in central universities.