Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep concern over the challenges faced by students from marginalised communities in accessing quality education.
In the letter, Gandhi urged the government to take immediate steps to resolve two pressing issues affecting students from Dalit, Scheduled Tribes (ST), Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minority groups.
Highlighting the "deplorable" state of residential hostels for these students, Gandhi cited his recent visit to the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar. He said students there complained of overcrowded rooms, unhygienic toilets, unsafe drinking water, lack of mess facilities, and no access to libraries or the Internet.
"Students complained about single rooms, which 6-7 students were forced to share, unhygienic toilets, unsafe drinking water, lack of mess facilities, and no access to libraries or the Internet," the letter noted.
Gandhi also raised concerns about the post-matric scholarship scheme, particularly its poor implementation in Bihar. He pointed out that the scholarship portal in the state remained non-functional for three years, with no disbursement in 2021–22. Even after restoration, the number of Dalit beneficiaries dropped from 1.36 lakh in 2022–23 to just 0.69 lakh in 2023–24.
He added that students find the scholarship amounts “insultingly low.”
Although the examples were drawn mainly from Bihar, Gandhi stressed that similar issues exist nationwide.
As a solution, he called for a nationwide audit of hostels meant for marginalised students to ensure basic standards in infrastructure, sanitation, nutrition, and academic support. He also demanded timely scholarship disbursals, increased funding, and better coordination with state governments.
"I am sure you agree that India cannot progress unless youth from marginalised communities progress. I look forward to your positive response," Gandhi concluded.