Education in deep crisis, atmosphere of fear forcing students to flee country: Congress MP

New Delhi:Congress MP Anto Antony on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that education is in a "deep crisis", alleging an atmosphere of fear is forcing students to flee the country.

Participating in a debate on the demands for grants for the Education Ministry, the MP from Pathanamthitta in Kerala, alleged that the atmosphere of fear in the country that the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been talking about also impacts the education sector.

"Today, Education in India is in a deep crisis, it is facing several problems and this year's budget has no proposal or vision to address these concerns. India cannot boast of a single university in world's top 100. This should have been a matter of deep concern for a country with the largest population," Antony said.

"It should have been addressed by focusing on at least a handful of such institutions so that some of them can make to the top listing soon. Funds should have been earmarked in the budget for this purpose. The atmosphere of fear that Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi has been talking about which prevails in all works of life in the country also impacts the education sector," he added.

Antony said it is like a garden filled with hundreds of beautiful flowers when new generations come together in a campus transcending differences in caste, religion, language and culture.

"...please do not destroy this wonderful social fabric of the country with communal divisions. This atmosphere of fear which exists in the education sector is forcing students to flee from the country. In recent years, there has been a surge in number of Indian youth migrating abroad for students crossing over 7 lakh in 2022 and 8.5 lakh in 2023.

"One of the major implications of migration due to education opportunities is brain drain which leads to loss of human capital, the ruling party and its affiliates are responsible for this grave situation..," he said.

Pratap Chandra Sarangi, BJP MP from Balasore, termed the Union Budget for 2024-25 as revolutionary and questioned the stand of the opposition in the House.

"Those who insulted the Constitution, come to the House holding it...those who run 'Bharat Jodo' have divided the country several times," Sarangi said.