Kulgam, July 04: The JK Democratic Youth Federation (JKDYF) and JK Students Federation (JKSF) held a joint convention in Kulgam on Thursday, drawing hundreds of delegates from across the district. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami was the key speaker at the event, where he addressed the gathering on various pressing issues affecting the youth and students of the region.
Tarigami in his address said that youth are the key agents for development and should remain at the forefront in the struggle against the “anti-people” policies of the government. He said there is a rising graph of unemployment in the region, while expressing concerns over the slow pace of the recruitment process, particularly for PhD holders nearing the age limit.
The CPI(M) leader urged that vacancies be filled forthwith and called for the exploration of employment avenues for jobless educated youth.
Tarigami also drew attention to the controversy surrounding the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) entrance exams, including NEET and UGC NET. He demanded action be taken against those involved in the NEET exam scam, following allegations of irregularities in these exams.
He further criticised the New Education Policy, terming it an “attack on the education system” and demanded its rollback. “The BJP government had unilaterally imposed this policy without considering suggestions from various stakeholders, including academia, teaching community, students, and intellectuals,” he alleged.
“The draft of New Education Policy was put out in the public domain seeking suggestions from all stakeholders, but none of these suggestions were considered,” the Communist Party leader said. He urged for an increase in budget allocations for education and allied sectors.
Other speakers at the convention included Mohmad Abass Rather, Jameel Barkat and Javid Ahmad, who also addressed issues affecting youth and students in the region. The convention saw a strong turnout from youth and student leaders who are demanding concrete action from the government to address their concerns.
