4 days ago
Congress Calls Free Coaching Plan a Gimmick, Condemns Ahmedabad Assault
The government wants to provide free online coaching to people studying for competitive exams.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the plan on August 15.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the idea will not work well unless the government improves public education first.
He pointed to an older government coaching scheme that enrolled 2,790 students instead of its target of 10,500.
He also said the older scheme received less money each year and spent less than half its budget last year.
The government says the new plan could help poor and middle-class families.
Congress also criticized a separate incident in Ahmedabad where people at a reading session about Malala Yousafzai’s memoir were allegedly attacked.
Police said three people were arrested and two participants were injured.
Jairam Ramesh called the government’s proposed free online coaching initiative an “accountability-evading gimmick.”
Ramesh said an existing scheme targeted 10,500 candidates but enrolled only 2,790, or about 26 percent, over three years.
He cited a parliamentary committee report saying the scheme’s budget declined annually and last year’s spending was less than half its allocation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said free online coaching would reduce financial pressure on poor and middle-class families preparing for competitive examinations.
Congress also condemned an alleged assault at an Ahmedabad reading session on Malala Yousafzai’s memoir; police arrested three people after two participants were injured.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the coaching plan; Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Rahul Gandhi and Pawan Khera criticized aspects of the government’s education approach or condemned the Ahmedabad incident.
- What
- The government proposed free online coaching for competitive examinations, while Congress questioned its implementation prospects and separately condemned an alleged assault at a Malala Yousafzai memoir reading session.
- Where
- Modi made the announcement at the Red Fort; Gandhi spoke at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Kota; the reading session was held at Vastrapur Garden in Ahmedabad.
- When
- Rahul Gandhi spoke on June 17, 2026; the parliamentary report was tabled on August 10, 2026; Modi announced the coaching plan on August 15, 2026; the Ahmedabad reading session and alleged assault occurred on Thursday.
- Why
- Modi said free coaching would reduce the financial burden on poor and middle-class families, while Congress argued that public education should be strengthened and questioned the government’s record on an existing scheme.
Congress criticism
Government rationale
Purpose of free coaching
Congress criticism
Ramesh called the initiative an “accountability-evading gimmick” and argued that public resources should instead be used to repair the education system and strengthen public schools and colleges.
Government rationale
Modi presented free online coaching as a way to expand educational opportunities and reduce the financial burden on poor and middle-class families preparing for competitive examinations.
Implementation record
Congress criticism
Ramesh cited enrollment of 2,790 students against a three-year target of 10,500 under an existing scheme, along with declining budgets and underspending, to question the government’s ability to deliver the new promise.
Government rationale
The articles describe the proposed initiative and its stated purpose but do not report a government response to Ramesh’s criticism of the existing scheme.
Coaching and public education
Congress criticism
Congress said the growing coaching industry reflects weaknesses in public education; Ramesh cited Rahul Gandhi’s claim that Indian families spend 2.5 times more on coaching centres than the Government of India invests in education.
Government rationale
The government’s stated approach is to offer free online coaching as additional support for competitive-exam students; the articles do not say whether it accepts or disputes Congress’s figures.
Key facts
- Proposed initiative
- Free online coaching for students preparing for various competitive examinations.
- Existing scheme target
- 10,500 candidates over three years.
- Existing scheme enrollment
- 2,790 students, or about 26 percent of the target.
- Budget and spending criticism
- Ramesh said the existing scheme’s budget declined every year and last year’s spending was less than half its allocation.
- Parliamentary report
- The findings were cited from the latest report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, tabled on August 10, 2026.
- Additional announcement
- Modi also announced AI training for one crore young people.
- Ahmedabad incident
- Police said 18 to 20 people claiming affiliation with the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad confronted reading-session participants; two people were injured and three were arrested.
Quotes
Jairam Ramesh
Congress general secretary in-charge communications
“Rather than fundamentally fix India’s broken education system or re-invest in public education, the Prime Minister has decided to instead invest public resources in online coaching.”
thestatesman.com
“It was this disclosure that forced the Prime Minister — in a desperate attempt to escape growing public pressure — to announce free online coaching for students on 15th August.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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