Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will interact with students at Island Grounds in Chennai on Saturday, October 10, as part of the Congress's youth outreach programme, Chhatron Ki Goonj, also known as Manavargalin Kural or ‘Voice of Students’.
The sixth edition of the programme is scheduled to begin at 4.30 pm. The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) has made registration mandatory for students wishing to attend, with entry restricted to those carrying registered QR codes. The party has also arranged separate entry points for students, political leaders, boys and girls. Parents and members of the general public will not be permitted inside the venue, according to TNCC leaders.
TNCC president Manickam Tagore and AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the event was intended to give students an opportunity to raise concerns directly with Gandhi. Mir said between one lakh and 1.5 lakh students had registered to participate in or connect with the programme, including those joining indirectly.
The discussion is expected to cover the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), alleged question paper leaks, unemployment, coaching centre fees and the Union government's education policy. Students preparing for competitive examinations, including NEET, JEE, UPSC, SSC and Railway Recruitment Board examinations, have been invited to participate in the initiative.
The Chennai programme is the sixth edition of Chhatron Ki Goonj. Previous interactions were held in Kota, Dehradun, Prayagraj, Pune and Indore. The Congress has presented the initiative as a platform for students to discuss education, examinations, employment opportunities and their expectations for the future.
