'Education is now profit-driven': Kanhaiya Kumar targets govt over coaching centre boom

Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar expressed concern on Saturday about the “profit-driven coaching education system” prevalent in India, stating it has led to an increased student suicide rate, which he claimed is higher than the farmer suicide rate in the country.

Addressing a press conference, Kumar, who is also the national in-charge of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), said education in the country is now viewed through the lens of profit.

“The government is lowering the standards of institutions in the country. This is done deliberately to help private coaching centres. They take away the hard-earned money of people and flee without caring for their future,” the Congress leader stated.

He said the pressure on students to perform, rather than learn, is increasing because the system has become “profit-driven.”

“How many seats are there in institutions? There is also a question about transparency in examinations. How fair and free are these examinations?” he asked.

Kumar urged the government to implement regulations for the uncontrolled proliferation of coaching centers across the country.

Referring to the suicide of a girl from Gorakhpur, he said a student commits suicide every hour in India. He stated that human lives are “sacred” in this country and should not be reduced to mere numbers.

Kumar said unemployment is at its highest in the country in the past 35 years. “There are no jobs. Papers are leaked. Who is responsible for this?” he asked.