THE New Education Policy (NEP-2020) of the Modi government has begun to be implemented in Andhra Pradesh through various forms. The YSRCP government in the state has already initiated steps to merge Class 1 and 2 students and transfer them to the Anganwadi centres and to shift children of Class 3 to 5 to the nearby high schools, in a phased manner. In addition to that, it has issued an ordinance and started making attempts to disintegrate the aided educational institution system in the state.

The state government has decided to stop the aid being given to the aided institutions and to absorb the teachers/lecturers working in aided posts only. The managements were given the choice to close down or to run these as private institutions.

Around 3.65 lakh students from class one to post-graduation, 15,000 teachers and lecturers are under the aided system in about 2,500 institutions. Aided institutions have been in existence from the days of the national movement and have expanded in the post-independent era. The students and staff were put in the lurch because of the government policy and started agitations. The students have to go to another institution in the midst of the academic year or if the same institute continues as a private one, they have to pay higher fees.

Students’ Federation of India took the lead in the agitations of aided institutions students and led militant struggles at various places throughout the state from Anantapuramu to Vizianagaram. AISF, PDSU, Telugu Vidyarthi and some others also came in joint action at a few places. Cases also were filed against this move in the High court of AP. 

Students of SBSYM college in Anantapuramu assembled in the college ground and peacefully demanded the government to continue the aid. Police entered the college premises without any complaint from the management and beat the students to disperse them without any warning. Many were injured in the lathi-charge and among them, a girl student was injured seriously and had to be hospitalised.

 In Visakhapatnam, Kovvuru, Kakinada, Nandigama, Mydukuru, Kurnool, Guntur, Vijayawada etc, students gathered in huge numbers and agitated in different forms. Traffic obstructions, dharnas and protests took place. Maharajah’s College in Vizianagarm with a long history of 164 years is also under threat. Students, teaching and non-teaching staff fought against the government’s move. The government has come down and accepted to continue the institutions as aided if they opt for it.

The government later issued orders giving four options: to ontinue as aided; hand over the institution to the government; surrender the aided staff to the government and continue the institution as private or surrender the staff and close down the institution.

After this decision, all the institutions where the students have been fighting against this move, are continuing with the aided status. Protracted and militant struggles of students under the leadership of SFI have resulted in success.