ABVP blames ruling alliance for ''commercialisation'' of education

Jalandhar, Jul 8 (UNI) The Punjab Akhil Bharatiya Vidharthi Parishad (ABVP) today criticised the SAD-BJP government for ''commercialisation and privatisation'' of education in the state.

Addressing a joint press conference here, ABVP state president Pankaj Mahajan and Organising Secretary Sooraj Bhardwaj alleged the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has commercialised the education by selling the quota seats in engineering, management and medical institutions due to which it was going out of the reach of a common man in the state.

They said that as compare to neighbouring states, the education in Punjab has become more costly.

Mr Mahajan said, ''Neither Punjab has any education policy nor any control over such state educational institutions where corruption is rampant. Even Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is not producing any positive results in the state.'' Against the absence of proper education policy and control of government over the existing educational intitutions, the ABVP would launch a state-wide agitation at district and sub-divisional level from July 15, the student leaders said, adding they would also demand student councils' elections in the state, which were banned in 1982 due to disturbances in the state.

They also said instead of providing sex education in schools and colleges, the government should provide moral education to the students of the state.

Mr Mahajan said the Parishad would send a demand list of 21 programmes, addressed to the Chief Minister, the Deputy Commissioners and the SDMs.

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