Protest taken out in opposition to KPS Magnet scheme in Kodagu

A number of dad and mom, college students and villagers from throughout Kodagu district participated in a protest in opposition to closure of presidency colleges beneath the KPS Magnet scheme at Mahila Samaja Bhavan in Kushalnagar on Sunday. The protest was organized by All India Democratic College students’ Group (AIDSO) and Save Public Training Committee to oppose the reported closure of 235 authorities colleges in Kodagu district beneath the KPS Magnet scheme.

Addressing the gathering, AIDSO’s state treasurer Subhash Bettadakoppa claimed that the Authorities was closing 235 colleges beneath the pretext of merging them into simply 5 chosen Magnet colleges located in Kushalnagar, Kudige, Shirangala, Gonikoppal and Kutta.

“Kodagu is a hilly area with no bus services for a lot of villages. In the course of the 4 months of heavy monsoon, it’s inconceivable for babies of Class 1 and a couple of to stroll 5-6 kilometers. If this scheme is applied, kids of espresso property staff and adivasis dwelling on the forest fringes, and youngsters of poor farmers can be disadvantaged of training,” he mentioned.

AIDSO’s State vp Abhaya Diwakar, who additionally addressed the gathering, alleged that the earlier BJP Authorities tried to shut 13,800 authorities colleges within the identify of ‘merging’. “Nevertheless, again then, we saved these colleges by way of state-wide struggles,” he mentioned.

Now, the present Congress authorities is proposing to close 40,000 colleges beneath the KPS Magnet Scheme. “The last word aim of all governments appears to be closing public colleges and snatching training away from poor college students,” he mentioned.

Questioning the federal government’s monetary priorities, Mr. Diwakar alleged that the federal government is opening KPS Magnet colleges by taking a mortgage of ₹2,500 crore from the Asian Growth Financial institution. “Has the federal government reached such a dire state that it should borrow from non-public and worldwide banks to run authorities colleges? Is the tax we pay not sufficient?” he mentioned.

He additionally added that the KPS Magnet scheme violates the Proper to Training (RTE) Act, which mandates a main college inside each kilometer, and alleged that the Magnet scheme is a ploy to denationalise colleges by way of outsourcing.

In the meantime, Mr. Bettadakoppa additionally identified that 62,000 posts of academics are at present vacant within the state whereas over 7,000 colleges are run by single academics and 23,000 college buildings want pressing repairs. “As an alternative of offering fundamental infrastructure, the federal government is letting language colleges and shutting them by way of the again door,” he alleged.