The Tripura Congress has accused the BJP-led government of trying to make higher education inaccessible to the underprivileged.

AGARTALA: Former Tripura minister and senior Congress leader Sudip Roy Berman on Tuesday criticized the central government’s policy of conducting entrance exams for admission to general degree colleges.

Sudip Roy Berman called the move a “clear attempt” to deprive the underprivileged of access to higher education.

He appealed to the student organizations of Tripura, regardless of their political affiliation, to come forward and protest against the move.

Sudip Roy Berman said that the way this new system is being introduced, the doors of higher education will be permanently closed for a section of students.
He added: “According to the guidelines, examinations will be conducted online at two examination centers here in Tripura. I would like to ask how many schools in Tripura have sufficient infrastructure to provide basic computer information. How many students do I have access to smartphones and the Internet? The point is clear: the central government wants to restrict access to higher education.

Accusing the central government of backing corporate-run private universities, the senior Tripura Congress leader said: “Where will the students who are not getting admission in government colleges go? They have to get admission in private colleges which Puts an extra burden on their parents.

On the other hand, Dr. Ajoy Kumar, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and AICC in-charge of Tripura, said: “The Tripura government is doing injustice to the tribal population. They are not getting adequate share of the state budget for development and welfare.

He added: “The difference is obvious as only Rs 400 crore out of Rs 26,000 crore state budget has been allocated for the tribal areas.”

Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement to introduce Hindi as a means of integration, Kumar said, “The BJP-RSS has its own plans for India. They want to impose action on everyone.