Gujarat Cong Seeks Guv Intervention in Education, Job Issues

Ahmedabad, Nov 27 (PTI) The Gujarat Congress on Wednesday sought Governor Acharya Devvrat's intervention on a range of issues, including the BJP government's decision to "close" around "6,000 schools" and making graduation as the minimum criteria to fill up Class 3 vacancies in departments.

A Congress delegation met the governor at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar and raised these issues.

The opposition party's delegation, led by state Congress president Amit Chavda, handed over a memorandum to Devvrat and urged him to take up these matters with the BJP government in Gujarat.

Referring to a recent decision by the government to merge schools having very less students, the Congress said the decision would eventually lead to the "closure" of around "6,000 government-run primary schools" in rural areas.

"We are told the implementation of this decision has already started. This will deprive thousands of poor children from getting primary education.

"Since the government would close a nearby school, very few would opt to walk long distances to get education, as the merged school will be far from the village. This a violation of the Right To Education Act," said the memorandum handed over to the Governor.

The Congress demanded a rollback of the decision.

"The state government must take back this decision," said the memorandum.

On the job front, the Congress has alleged the BJP government is "playing" with the future of youth by not giving them allotment letters even months after they had cleared recruitment tests.

The opposition party claimed irregularities on the part of government in conducting competitive exams for various government jobs.

Congress leaders registered their protest over another recent decision - making graduation the minimum educational qualification to apply for Class 3 government jobs.

Till now, the qualification was standard 12 (Higher Secondary School).

The Congress said the change in minimum educational qualification will adversely affect youths looking for jobs in state-run departments.

"This new diktat will deprive thousands of youths from getting government jobs. Getting education after standard 12 is not easy for the youths of SCs, STs, OBCs, girls and those from minority communities.

"What will be the future of these youths now? We demand that the government rollback its decision and reinstate the old criteria for Class 3 jobs," the memorandum said. PTI

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