Guwahati: The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Assam State Committee, on Thursday accused the state government of pursuing “anti-education” policies under the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, alleging that these decisions have pushed thousands of students out of higher education within months.
According to the organisation, nearly 28,000 students have dropped out of colleges across Assam within just six months, despite over 90,000 students having secured free admissions during the current academic session. SFI leaders attributed the alarming dropout rate to severe financial distress, rising education costs, and what they described as the gradual withdrawal of state support from public education.
In a statement, the student body alleged that the government is increasingly treating education as a market-driven commodity rather than a fundamental right. It claimed that students from poor and middle-class families were being systematically excluded from higher education under the guise of NEP implementation.
“The closure of government educational institutions, a freeze on teacher recruitment, and the aggressive push towards privatisation together amount to a direct assault on public education in the state,” the SFI said, warning that such policies would have long-term consequences for Assam’s academic future.
The organisation further alleged that several meritorious students were being forced to abandon their studies due to mounting financial pressure, lack of scholarships, and inadequate institutional support.
Placing a set of demands before the government, the SFI called for a high-level inquiry into the mass dropouts, seeking to identify why thousands of students were compelled to leave their courses within months of admission. It also demanded the immediate recruitment of qualified teachers to fill vacant posts across educational institutions.
In addition, the student body urged the government to halt the closure of government schools and colleges and strongly oppose the privatisation of education. Ensuring adequate scholarships and financial assistance for students from economically weaker sections and middle-class families is among its key demands.