NTA and NEP have only helped private coaching institutions flourish, says student leader Neha Bora

Neha Bora, a prominent student leader, criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Education Policy (NEP) for enabling the growth of private coaching institutions, at the expense of the public education system. During her 'Gen Z Rising' national tour, Ms. Bora, who is the national president of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), expressed concerns about the impact of NTA and NEP on the educational landscape.

She highlighted that the NTA, registered under the Societies Registration Act, had created an internal committee where people responsible for question paper leaks were also members. Moreover, these individuals were recruited by the NTA through non-transparent means, further perpetuating corruption. Bora argued that such a system led to extreme mismanagement, technical glitches, and incidents of question paper leaks in examinations like NEET.

Bora further contended that the NEP's emphasis on private coaching institutions over public schools rendered school education "irrelevant," as it undervalued State Board schools and government schools. The combination of NTA and NEP had a detrimental effect on higher educational institutions, compelling them to take loans, increase fees, impose heavy fines, and reduce scholarships to repay the loans.

Ms. Bora emphasized that the prevailing political climate in the country favored the greed of a few at the expense of the people, citing the NTA-NEP combination as a prime example. She urged for a balanced approach that recognized the value of public education and promoted fairness in the education system.