'Education No Longer a Priority Under Modi Govt': BJP Veteran Murli Manohar Joshi Questions Policy Focus

In a sharp critique of the Union government's policy focus, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Human Resource Development Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi stated that education has ceased to be a top priority for the Narendra Modi-led administration. Speaking in an interview with Hindi daily Amar Ujala, the senior leader contrasted the declining emphasis on public education with the government's heavy budget allocations for infrastructure and private industrialization, asserting that structural reforms in higher education are being overlooked.

Highlighting the shifting fiscal focus of the government, Dr. Joshi remarked:

"Education is no longer a priority of the government. The road transport budget is constantly increasing. Private industrialisation is a priority, so more money is being spent on it. But engineers to build roads and bridges will only be available when the country has strong educational institutions."

Reflecting on recent nationwide student protests and recurring exam paper leak controversies, Dr. Joshi addressed corruption within public institutions and the judiciary, maintaining that administrative failures erode meritocracy. He observed that when citizens witness systemic corruption and the pervasive influence of money across various pillars of governance, they are driven toward unethical short-cuts. Blaming government policy rather than the public, he emphasized that education must focus on generating meaningful employment opportunities and holistic human development rather than operating as a commercial enterprise.

Recalling his tenure during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's administration, Dr. Joshi defended earlier educational frameworks, arguing that introducing a completely new policy is unnecessary when existing systems can be amended to address emerging gaps. He also reiterated his long-standing advocacy for a uniform neighborhood school system to bridge socioeconomic divides, while firmly opposing the uncontrolled commercialization of higher education and healthcare.