New Delhi, October 14 (H.S.): Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Higher Education Rajni Tiwari has said that the state government is consistently working to make higher education more transparent, technology-driven and employment-oriented. She said the government has effectively curbed examination mafias, is introducing changes in universities and colleges in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and is expediting plans to provide free scooters to meritorious female students.

In an interview with Hindusthan Samachar, Tiwari, who represents the Shahabad Assembly constituency in Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, spoke at length about reforms in higher education, girls’ education, appointments to vacant posts, opposition politics and development initiatives in Shahabad. She claimed that universities had been established in divisions that previously lacked them, enabling female students to pursue higher education without having to travel long distances.

On appointments to vacant positions in higher education institutions, Tiwari said the government had made appointments on a large scale through a transparent process. The process of filling the remaining vacancies is also underway. She said the National Education Policy 2020 aims to integrate education with Indian culture and modern technology while expanding employment opportunities for young people.

She said digital libraries and digital parks had been established in colleges. The budget was also being increased to equip rural colleges with modern facilities and resources. The government’s objective, she added, was to ensure that modern technology reached every student.

Tiwari alleged that previous governments had provided political protection to examination malpractice. However, she said, the situation had changed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. She claimed that higher education examinations in the state were now being conducted transparently and without cheating. According to her, this had strengthened young people’s confidence in the examination system and helped prepare them for global competition.

She further said improvements in law and order and the implementation of government welfare schemes had reduced the rate at which girls discontinued their education. Female students had been provided with tablets and smartphones, while work was underway on a scheme to distribute scooters to meritorious female students.

Tiwari said the opening of women’s degree colleges and government colleges had expanded access to higher education for female students. The Higher Education Department was also monitoring the reasons behind students dropping out, she added. If a student did not enrol in higher education after completing Class 12 or discontinued studies after the first year, the department was examining the underlying reasons and exploring possible solutions.

On the issue of women’s reservation, Tiwari criticised the opposition. She said the opposition’s alleged double standards had been exposed during parliamentary discussions on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides for women’s reservation in legislative bodies. She asserted that women were increasingly understanding the opposition’s political approach and its actual position on the issue.

Commenting on the Samajwadi Party’s PDA formula, Tiwari said the opposition lacked a clear ideology, policy and vision. She claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party was working for all sections of society without discrimination and asserted that the public had moved beyond politics centred on slogans.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar