Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that no political party or organisation should have a hold on any educational institutions, and batted for a political consensus on the issue of paper leaks, calling it everyone’s responsibility. He made the remarks while addressing a Chhatron ki Goonj’ rally in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun in the evening.
“The entire structure is involved – from coaching centres, exam centres, paper setters, translators, transporters and vendors to the NTA and the (education) ministry at the top,” Rahul Gandhi said.
While cases of paper leaks are rising by the day due to this “corrupt system”, no action against the guilty, including conviction, has been taken till now, Gandhi said.
“Our educational institutions should be independent. No political party or organisation should have any hold on our educational institutions. The vice-chancellors should not be from one organisation and the in-charge of the National Testing Agency should not be from a political outfit,” he said.
Gandhi also said that there can be a political consensus on one thing, and that is paper leaks.
“We have to end paper leaks. There can be a consensus in every party and it is everyone’s responsibility to implement this consensus,” he said.
Gandhi also alleged that it is the duty of the government to hold exams, and not of private companies whose sole motive is to make money and profit.
“If anyone indulges in paper leak, there should be immediate conviction and punishment. If a paper leak happens, the students should be given protection, compensated, and immediate re-exam be held,” he said.
Gandhi noted that this can be done with the help of technology and randomisation. “This should be done as soon as possible so that the pain of students comes to an end and there is fairness in our examination and testing system,” he said.
He also claimed that paper leaks have become so rampant that there are menu cards for different papers, similar to menu cards for food at restaurants. He also made a presentation before the students.
(With PTI inputs)