SRINAGAR: CPI(M) Central Committee Member and MLA Kulgam, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, on Wednesday cautioned the government over the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the policy’s core intent is to commercialise education and deprive underprivileged students of their right to knowledge.
Tarigami, while participating in the ongoing discussion on the budget presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the legislative assembly, said that the much-hyped NEP carries dangerous consequences and that the elected government in J&K must exercise caution in its implementation.
“It is being claimed that the NEP will be actively implemented and strengthened in J&K. But if we look at our history, during Sheikh Sahib’s time, education and healthcare were prioritised. The promise of universal education was made here when it wasn’t even discussed elsewhere in the country. We had a robust education and healthcare system in place,” Tarigami said.
He argued that the new education policy has led to commercialisation and privatisation, turning education into a profit-driven enterprise. “Another major concern is centralization. The UGC has issued a circular stating that Vice Chancellors in every state will now be selected by authorities in Delhi. Education, which is a concurrent subject, has been taken out of the hands of the states and is being centralized,” he said.
Tarigami urged the government to prevent education from becoming a market commodity. “Education is not a business. It must not be turned into one,” he emphasized. Addressing Education Minister Sakina Yatoo, he said that even if stopping NEP is not possible, the government should at least ensure it is not blindly promoted.
“You talk about a level playing field, but where is it? What about children in remote villages who cannot even afford slippers? Where will they go? Private schools charge high fees. How can daily wage laborers, small farmers, or workers afford this education for their children? This is not real education. Instead, an elite class is being created to serve corporate interests,” Tarigami said.
Referring to the health sector, Tarigami warned that its privatization would be disastrous for the poor. “Those who can afford expensive healthcare will go to Chandigarh or Delhi, but where will the poor go? If someone cannot afford an auto-rickshaw fare, how will they take a patient to Delhi or Ahmedabad?” he questioned.
He also defended SKIMS, calling it an institution for the poor. “Even if some people have an issue with its name, SKIMS must be protected. When I raised concerns about its autonomy, some people dismissed it, but even institutions in Chandigarh are autonomous,” he said.
Tarigami also condemned police action against daily wagers demanding regularization. “Cases have been registered against them while their genuine demands are ignored. In Ladakh, daily-rated workers have received their due wages, but in J&K, they are being pushed into distress. I urge the Chief Minister to compare the wages in Delhi and Ladakh with what is being given to workers in J&K,” he said. (KNO)
