A delegation of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Tamil Nadu, met Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at Fort St. George, Chennai, on today (May 19) and submitted a detailed 16-point memorandum concerning school education, higher education, student welfare, and campus safety.
The delegation placed before the Chief Minister several ground realities that often remain absent from official reports and textbooks.
· More than 1200 schools have been shut down in the last five years.
· Even today, Class 5 students from rural areas face difficulty in reading Tamil at the level expected of a Class 2 student.
· Guest lecturers continue to work for years on extremely low honorariums.
· In several educational institutions, Internal Complaints Committees for women students are either inactive or non-functional.
ABVP said these are not merely statistics, but indicators of the deep crisis prevailing in the education system.
ABVP demanded the introduction of medical and engineering education in the Tamil medium for the benefit of students from rural backgrounds.
The student organisation also stated that this is not merely a symbolic initiative, but a necessary intervention for students who have long remained deprived of professional education due to language barriers.
ABVP also demanded the immediate removal of the ban on student union elections in the state. Continuing for more than a decade, this restriction stands against democratic values and student rights. Student participation is not a privilege, but a democratic right.
The recommendations of the J.M. Lyngdoh Committee were framed precisely to ensure disciplined and structured student democracy, and there is no justification for the continued disregard of the Supreme Court’s directions in this regard.
The delegation also strongly raised the issue of the poor condition of SC/ST and OBC hostels across the state.
Many hostels lack basic facilities such as cleanliness, security, and quality food. Students belonging to deprived sections of society are being compelled to live in conditions that no family would accept for their own children.
ABVP further drew the attention of the state government to the Prime Minister Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme.
ABVP stated that Tamil Nadu is being deprived of nearly ₹2000 crore in central assistance due to the state government’s refusal to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
This assistance is meant for strengthening the infrastructure of rural schools. Students should not be deprived of such support due to political reasons, and the state government must take an early decision in this regard.
The delegation also demanded immediate appointment of Vice-Chancellors in universities where posts remain vacant, adequate budgetary allocation for educational infrastructure and research, and the introduction of a dedicated anti-narcotics task force near educational campuses across the state.
ABVP reiterated its commitment to a drug-free Tamil Nadu and called upon the government to treat campus safety as a non-negotiable priority.
Speaking after the meeting, Yuvraj Damodaran, National Executive Council Member, ABVP, said: “Today, a delegation of ABVP met CM Vijay. We have presented a memorandum of 16 demands of students in the state. The CM has immediately agreed on 8 demands and promised to look into the other demands as well. One of our demands is Tamil language courses and students’ union elections in all universities and institutions across the state. We have requested budgetary allocation for infra and research in education. We have also requested that VCs be appointed where posts remain vacant. We have also demanded a special anti-narcotics task force to be introduced near educational campuses. We want a drug-free Tamil Nadu.”
ABVP welcomed the decision to shut down 717 TASMAC outlets situated near schools, temples, and bus stands. Calling it a positive step, the Parishad expressed hope that the same firmness would also be shown in addressing issues related to educational institutions, universities, and student hostels.
