Congress Chief Kharge Criticises BJP-RSS over Interference in Higher Education, Claims 61% UGC Budget Cut
11 January 2025 | The Times of India
NEW DELHI: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their alleged interference in India's higher education system and claimed that the UGC's budget has been slashed by a whopping 61%.
He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the suspension of the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) scholarship programme, which had been active since 1963.
"BJP-RSS are constantly attacking higher education in India, Kharge posted on X, adding, "Narendra Modi, you blow your own trumpet with 'Pariksha Par Charcha wow and 'Exam Warriors', but NTSE has been discontinued for three years, as revealed by the newspapers. This scheme, which has been running since 1963, should have amounted to Rs 40 crore, but Rs 62 crore has been spent on PM Modi's PR."…