Members of the student organisation Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) met with the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prof M Jagadesh Kumar, and presented him with a memorandum of demands on Saturday, December 31.
The main demands presented by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) included the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), the provision of non-NET fellowships to PhD students, and the restoration of the pre-COVID academic calendar. Additionally, the students called for the regular conduct of student union elections in all universities.
The delegation of the student organisation included its National General Secretary, Yagyawalkya Shukla. "ABVP, after a detailed and intensive discussion with students and all the stakeholders of the education sector, has raised demands about the development of basic infrastructure in the field of education, implementation of NEP, increased investment in the field of research," said Shukla in a statement.
The students also requested the release of a schedule for upcoming eligibility and entrance exams. In a previous interview with Edexlive, the UGC Chairman had promised to issue an academic calendar for major competitive exams such as CUET and JEE well in advance. However, the notification for JEE Mains 2023 was published on December 15, and the first session of the exam is scheduled to take place on January 1, causing concern among students who feel they do not have enough time to prepare and lead to demands for a postponement. A public interest litigation (PIL) has also been filed in the Bombay High Court about this issue.
During their New Year's Eve meeting with the UGC Chairman, the ABVP delegation called for the creation of sufficient infrastructure to meet the needs of the student population, and to improve the quality of research and education. They also demanded the development of a curriculum in Indian languages and the creation of a curriculum framework that connects the industrial and educational sectors.