The BJP MP said that children should decide on their profession at an early age and move out of the education system at the fourth edition of Democracy Wall.
New Delhi: Rajiv Pratap Rudy, the former Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said Tuesday that he doesn’t think 80 per cent of children should study beyond 10th and 12th grade. Instead they should settle on a profession and “move out”, he said.
Rudy said it is important to equip children with skills from a young age—starting in the eighth grade—so that their potential can be developed.
Rudy said that it is “aspirational” in India to get a degree, when that shouldn’t really be the goal for the youth.
“We believe in education, not in skills,” he said.
Rudy’s was replying to a question on the structural dismantling of universities and academic culture, and how the BJP isn’t catering to the youth and giving them what they truly want: education and employment.
Agreeing that the education system is flawed, Rudy said that he wouldn’t be the right person to answer that question.
Towards the end of his talk, Rudy credited his own entry in politics to student politics. Talking about his humble beginnings, he said that the only thing his mother had insisted on was education.
Democracy Wall is a free-speech campus initiative, the fourth edition of which was held at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Rudy, rapper Sofia Ashraf, actor Nimrat Kaur, co-founder of YLAC India Aparajita Bharti, constitutor Meghnad and comedian Shyam Rangeela were speakers at the event.
An alumnus of Panjab University
Rudy, who was general secretary of the Panjab University Campus Students Council, spoke about the culture of student politics in India today, and how it is important to cultivate it in the right way.
Saying he believes that student politics gives rise to future politicians, Rudy said that the onus is on students now to enter politics and make a difference.
“There’s still a huge space for people to come into politics,” he said.
On the BJP’s politics
Rudy declined to answer questions on Prime Minister Modi and his ‘disconnect’ with the youth, as well as a question on the BJP’s right wing philosophy.
“What you’re talking about is possibly a perception being generated,” he said.
He said that the two cornerstones of the BJP’s philosophy are nationalism, and antyodaya or working for the poorest man.
“These are the two footprints on which the BJP moves,” he said.
The MP from Saran ended his talk with a response to a question on the importance of ‘muscle power’ and ‘money power’ in politics. He said that if it was possible for him to make it in politics, it is possible for everyone.
“The people who should never have been in politics have now withdrawn from politics, creating space for new people to enter, and it is those people who have created this impression of politics,” he said.