'Conspiracy to keep...': LoP Rahul Gandhi targets Centre over vacant posts in central universities

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday morning lashed out at the Narendra Modi government as nearly 80 percent of posts for professors under the OBC category in central universities remain vacant, demanding that the vacant positions be filled immediately. “Bahujans should get their rights, not Manuwaadi exclusion,” Gandhi posed on X.

Rahul Gandhi slams ‘Institutionalised Manuwad’ in higher education

In central universities, 83 percent of positions for professors under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, followed by 80 percent of posts under the OBC category, have been “deliberately” kept vacant, Gandhi said, adding, “64 percent (of professor posts) for SC (Scheduled Caste) are deliberately kept vacant.”

“Similarly, associate professor positions for – ST: 65 percent, OBC: 69 percent, SC: 51 percent also remain unfilled,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi demands immediate filling of reserved posts

Rahul Gandhi argued that the data presented by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, in Rajya Sabha was “solid evidence of the deprivation of Bahujans and institutionalised Manuwaad.”

Alleging a conspiracy to keep Bahujans away from education, Gandhi flagged the exclusion of marginalised communities and their issues from public discourses. “This is not mere negligence but a well-planned conspiracy–to keep Bahujans away from education, research, and policymaking. Due to inadequate participation of Bahujans in universities, the issues of marginalised communities are deliberately excluded from research and discourse,” the LoP said.

“In the name of NFS (Not Found Suitable), thousands of qualified SC, ST, OBC candidates are being declared unfit under a Manuvadi mindset, and the government is unwilling to take any accountability,” Gandhi added.