AGARTALA, January 29 (TIWN): As a part of a sudden drive of the Pradesh Congress here in Tripura to criticize the BJP govt. and its policy at the center, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) state wing today staged a protest rally opposing the HRD Ministry’s move to cut student loan subsidy and slash funds for the higher education. The rally today moved across the capital city.

Talking to TIWN today NSUI state president Bapi Das alleged that BJP Government has reduced the UPA -introduced subsidy that allowed students whose parents have an annual income below Rs 4.5 lakh to access interest free bank loans for professional and technical education. Das that NSUI not only condemns BJP Government’s action but also warns the Government, especially its HRD Ministry led by Smriti Irani that such regressive approach by them will not be tolerated. “We demand strongly that the decision to cut the student loan subsidy be revoked immediately and all student loans be made hassle free and interest free,” he added.

“Till last year, nearly 18 lakh poor students were benefited due to this scheme. In the Union Budget 2009-10, the then Finance Minister  Pranab Mukherjee had introduced the Central Scheme for Interest Subsidy (CSIS) with respect to education loans disbursed after April 1, 2009, under which the Government paid the interest on behalf of the student in the period of their study and a little beyond. In 2014, the then Finance Minister, P Chidambaram had waived the interest on education loans taken before March 2009, amounting to Rs 2,600 crore. This is the approach the UPA Government had towards students and education,” the NSUI leader elaborated.

However the NSUI today also opposed the fund cut for higher education across the nation. It is also mentionable here that the BJP government recently has reduced funds for higher education to the tune of Rs 3,900 crore in its revised budget estimates for the financial year 2014-15. The government has revised the figure to Rs 13,000 crore, as against Rs 16,900 crore for the plan allocation. The government has also revised allocation for Rashtriya Uchcha Siksha Abhiyan — which seeks to improve overall quality of higher education in the country — to Rs 397 crore as against Rs 2,200 crore in the original budget.

However during the protest rally today NSUI state president along with NSUI General Secretary Gourav Chakroborty, Jayanta Saha, Rakesh Das and others remained present.