By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:Shivshish Prahraj, General Secretary of AIDSO Central Council, issued the following statement on the Union Budget – 2026:
The All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) strongly rejects the pro-capitalist and anti-worker Union Budget 2026-27. The organisation has condemned it as a deceptive plan to completely destroy the government education system. In the name of “modernisation”, the budget hides a sinister conspiracy of abdication of government responsibilities and aggressive privatisation.
The announcement of “University Townships” is a new deception. It will turn educational institutions into centres reserved for the rich class only near industrial areas, where teaching will be done not in accordance with academic freedom, but with the interest of corporate profits in mind.
In the name of industrialisation, it is a cruel trap to deprive the children of workers and farmers of a holistic and scientific education. The aim is to provide the youth with cheap and semi-skilled labour to industrial firms. The government’s obsession with “digital infrastructure” ignores the reality of millions of students in rural India, where even basic classrooms and electricity are lacking. It only paves the way for ‘ed-tech’ companies to loot government funds, said Mr. Prahraj.
Although the budget estimates seem to show an increase in education expenditure, it is still only 2.8% of the total budget, which is still negligible. Despite repeated demands, 6% of GDP is not being spent on education. Despite rising inflation, there has been no increase in grants for fellowships and scholarships. In addition, by focusing on “loan-based funds” instead of direct grants, the government is making education a luxury rather than a right.
AIDSO sees this budget as a direct attack on the future of the student community. AIDSO has called for a nationwide struggle to defeat this corporate-friendly policy and protect public education.
