Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on September 5, Teachers’ Day. The visit is significant as SRCC is completing 100 years.
A key part of the proposed visit is expected to be a direct interaction between Modi and Gen Z students. The session is likely to give students an opportunity to share their views, aspirations and concerns with the Prime Minister. Last month, youth protests shook the government over the NEET row and eventually led to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education minister. The protests brought thousands young people onto the streets. Students and youth groups demanded accountability over paper leaks, student suicides and irregularities in the examination system. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) also was a prominent voice during the protests. He also defended his decision to offer his resignation over the controversy.
Around 45 leaders from key states, including poll-bound Uttar Pradesh , Punjab and Gujarat, were also brought into discussions on the party’s youth strategy.
In August, BJP president Nitin Nabin chaired a meeting on the outreach plan, where leaders said that youth engagement should be a continuous process rather than limited to large political events. Pradhan later said attempts were made to “mislead” Gen Z during the protests. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the protests “dented BJP’s aura” and said that opposition parties should understand why young people turned towards groups such as the CJP. Pradhan, after leaving the education ministry, said in August that some people had attempted to “mislead” Gen Z during the NEET protests.
