THE Maharashtra state study camp of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) was held from October 1-3, 2021 at the Comrade B T Ranadive Smarak Bhawan, Belapur, Navi Mumbai. The camp was attended by 105 delegates from 15 districts. 

Just after this camp, on October 5-6, the first physical SFI CEC meeting in the last two years was successfully hosted by the SFI Maharashtra state committee at Belapur.

SFI state president Balaji Kaletwad hoisted the SFI flag and greeted all the delegates. SFI state secretary Rohidas Jadhav made the introductory remarks.

The camp was inaugurated by CITU state secretary and scientist Vivek Montero. He strongly criticised the educational, social and economic policies of the BJP central government. The sessions in the three-day camp dealt with the following topics: New Education Policy; how to build the SFI organisation; the impact of the corona pandemic on education; on our ideological struggle; what is socialism; and the seven years of tyrannical rule at the centre – current political challenges.

Marxist intellectual Datta Desai delivered an online lecture on 'Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Youth in Revolutionary Politics' which was watched by thousands of people across the state.

Seven groups of delegates were formed to discuss each of the sessions. Student activists had a very good and serious discussion. The speakers gave satisfactory answers to all the questions. All the six sessions were chaired by and conducted by various SFI state leaders.

On the last day of the camp, a meeting of the SFI Maharashtra state committee was held and it was attended by Mayukh Biswas, SFI all India general secretary.

Balaji Kaletwad presented the plan decided in the state committee before the camp. In the last one and a half years, schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions have been closed due to the corona pandemic. This has caused a lot of harm to students. Hence SFI has demanded to start all educational institutions in all parts of the state and make arrangements for students to stay in hostels; waive all previous and current year tuition fees and examination fees of all students across the state due to the corona pandemic; scrap the new education policy; and distribute scholarships and fellowships. It was decided to organise agitations in all the districts on important state and local demands pertaining to education, including stopping the DBT system in tribal student hostels, full vaccination of all students and teachers and recruiting all government employees through the MPSC.

SFI aims to significantly increase its membership across the state in the academic year 2021-22. It has been decided to set up 500 active units. SFI will also help the poor and needy students in the flood-hit areas of Kolhapur district by distributing various educational materials.

In the concluding session, SFI state vice president Somnath Nirmal presented the credential report. SFI state office bearers thanked all the volunteers who worked hard for the success of the camp. The camp ended with the song 'Hum Honge Kamyaab' and with resounding slogans.