Congress Leader Criticizes Government on NEP 2020 Anniversary

Criticism of NEP 2020 by Senior Congress Leader

On January 31, 2026, senior Congress leader and MP Jairam Ramesh expressed his discontent with the central government regarding the sixth anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He referred to it as the Nagpur Education Policy and accused the government of implementing it without parliamentary discussion. In a post on X, Ramesh highlighted that today marks six years since the Modi government adopted NEP on July 29, 2020. He pointed out that there has never been a discussion in Parliament about NEP 2020, nor did it receive approval from the Central Advisory Board of Education.

Ramesh further alleged that the government has weakened key regulatory bodies and initiatives under NEP, stating that the foundation of NEP is now shaky. He claimed that the credibility of the NTA has been completely undermined. Former ministers, who were the strongest advocates for the policy and pressured state governments to implement it, have been forced to resign. The case of the 'Developed India Education Institution' has been sent to a joint committee of Parliament, which has faced delays in meetings due to opposition from NDA allies over the past three weeks.

He compared the current policy to the 'National Policy on Education' initiated during former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's tenure, emphasizing the importance of parliamentary consensus and the long-term impact of policies. Ramesh noted that unlike the Nagpur Education Policy, the NEP of 1986 was thoroughly discussed in Parliament before its adoption. A significant achievement of that policy was the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, which have played a crucial role in socio-economic development.

Additionally, Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach People's Party (CJP), criticized the government's treatment of protesting students on January 31, 2026. Speaking outside Delhi Airport, Dipke condemned the excessive force used against students protesting the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. He warned that if such behavior continued despite assurances from the central government, nationwide protests would reignite.