Prayagraj: Targeting the BJP over the country’s education system, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday alleged that corruption had permeated every stage of the examination process—from paper setting and question paper leaks to evaluation and declaration of results.Claiming that an “entire chain of cheating and scams” operated across the system, he also accused the BJP govt of neglecting education by continuously reducing budgetary allocations, burdening teachers with non-academic work.He also accused the govt of promoting a “negative ideology” through the curriculum, and deliberately shutting down govt schools to benefit private educational institutions.Akhilesh was speaking at the latest edition of the ‘Vision India: Plan, Develop, Ascend’ Summit Series in the city. The summit focused on the challenges confronting the country’s education and examination system and brought together experts, youth, media representatives and intellectuals to deliberate on the issue.“Education is not even on the BJP’s agenda (shiksha BJP ke agenda mein hai hi nahin) as the education budget is being reduced continuously,” he said. “A negative ideology is being imposed through the curriculum, while teachers are so overburdened with non-academic work that it is affecting their lives. Due to collusion with private education players, govt schools and institutions are being deliberately shut down,” he alleged.Stressing the importance of fair examinations, he said, “Education is incomplete without an examination. From the paper setter to the declaration of results, an entire chain of cheating and scams operates.”He alleged that question papers were leaked at various stages of the examination process, including during paper setting, translation, printing, transportation and storage. He further claimed that strong rooms were compromised, CCTV cameras were manipulated, vulnerable examination centres were deliberately allotted, and impersonators were made to appear in examinations by tampering with admit cards and biometric systems.Akhilesh also alleged irregularities during evaluation, claiming that answersheets were replaced, OMR sheets were filled later, marks were inflated during evaluation, and even result servers were hacked to alter scores. “From the paper setter to the result, money, access and collusion corrupt every link of the system. It is not just one hardworking student but many future generations that are destroyed,” he said.Emphasising the importance of examinations, he said students progress through every stage of education and employment by clearing examinations. “Students move from one class to another through exams. Entrance tests determine admissions to higher education, professional examinations produce doctors and engineers, and recruitment examinations decide government jobs. But when the examination system itself has failed, how will it pass anyone else?” he asked.Akhilesh said the “Vision India: Plan, Develop, Ascend” Summit Series was intended to generate constructive and practical ideas for the country’s development with a focus on inclusive growth and balanced progress.
