HT Correspondent
AGARTALA, June 21: The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) on Saturday threatened to launch a state wide agitation if the condition of the state’s Education Department does not improve.
In a press statement, TPCC President Asish Kumar Saha claimed that even after two and a half months since the academic year began, thousands of students across Tripura are still waiting for their textbooks — a situation he described as a glaring example of the BJP-led government’s “jumla bazaar” and administrative failure.
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Saha accused the state’s Education Minister — who also holds the Chief Minister’s portfolio —Manik Saha, of gross indifference toward the plight of students in government schools.
“While the children of ministers and wealthy families studying in private institutions received their books even before the start of the academic session, students in government-run schools are left staring at empty benches. This is a shameful chapter in the history of education in Tripura. For the third consecutive year, textbooks have been delayed by months,” alleged Saha.
He further said there appears to be a deep-rooted conspiracy behind this recurring failure.
“Is this the unwritten agenda of the New Education Policy — to ensure that only financially well-off children receive an education, while the rest are pushed into vocational training and daily-wage labour after primary school?” the TPCC president questioned in the statement.
Saha also highlighted that administrative lapses, including the repeated awarding of textbook printing contracts to the same inefficient organization, are largely to blame for the crisis.
“Internal murmurs within the department point to systemic issues that have persisted for years without accountability,” the statement read. “The Pradesh Congress has been receiving numerous complaints from parents and students, especially from remote areas, where textbooks are yet to be delivered. The government’s failure has pushed the public education system to the brink of collapse.”
Saha warned that the Congress would not hesitate to launch a massive protest movement across the state if the situation does not improve immediately.
However, he added that the TPCC is willing to extend cooperation to the state government in restoring the dignity and effectiveness of the education system — provided the government demonstrates genuine intent to reform.
