Varanasi (UP), Sep 12 (PTI) All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora on Saturday said student and youth movements have witnessed a resurgence across the country following the agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar that led to the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Speaking at an event at Banaras Hindu University’s Onkar Nath Thakur auditorium, Bora said students’ problems should be addressed through dialogue and concrete action.
Bora, who was in Varanasi as part of AISA’s ‘Gen-Z Mahajutan Yatra’, said the campaign, which reached the city from Prayagraj, aims to highlight the problems and demands of students in Uttar Pradesh.
She said rising university fees, paper leaks, reservation in hostels, shortage of seats and scholarships remained major concerns for students.
Young people preparing for competitive examinations were also facing issues related to employment and recruitment, she said.
“Recruitment has not taken place in Uttar Pradesh for a long time. The backlog has remained since 2018, and students are protesting at different places demanding appointments,” Bora said.
She demanded that the government issue notifications for recruitment to at least 60,000 posts and clear the old backlog at the earliest.
Bora also raised concerns over changes in examination patterns, saying students were often informed about changes in rules and subjects shortly before examinations, leaving them inadequate time to prepare.
She reiterated that the government should resolve students’ problems through dialogue and concrete measures.
A large number of students attended the programme, following which a sizeable police force was deployed around the auditorium.
The AISA’s Uttar Pradesh chapter had announced the ‘Gen-Z Mahajutan Yatra’ in August as part of its nationwide ‘Gen Z Rising’ campaign. The yatra was planned to raise issues concerning education, employment and social justice and provide a platform for students and young people.
Bora emerged as a prominent face of the student agitation at Jantar Mantar earlier this year, where she undertook a 23-day hunger strike demanding accountability over examination irregularities and seeking Pradhan’s resignation. The protests subsequently spread to other parts of the country. PTI COR CDN MPL MPL
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.