New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing it of promoting systemic exclusion of SC, ST, and OBC candidates in higher education through the controversial practice of declaring applicants as “Not Found Suitable” (NFS).
📢 “NFS is New Manuvaad” – Rahul Gandhi
Taking to social media platform X, Gandhi alleged that the NFS categorisation is a deliberate tool to deny representation to historically marginalized communities in professorial and leadership roles in institutions like Delhi University, IITs, and Central Universities.
“‘Not Found Suitable’ is the new Manuvaad. Qualified SC/ST/OBC candidates are being deliberately ‘disqualified’ to keep them away from education and leadership roles,” Gandhi posted.
📊 Vacancies Reflect Institutional Bias?
Citing data from Delhi University, Gandhi claimed:
- Over 60% of reserved professor posts remain vacant
- More than 30% of associate professor posts under reservation remain unfilled
He added that this exclusionary trend is evident across premier institutes like IITs and other central universities.
📜 Ambedkar’s Vision Being Undermined?
Gandhi invoked B.R. Ambedkar, asserting that the right to education was central to his dream of social equality.
“Babasaheb had said: Education is the biggest weapon for equality. But the Modi government is busy blunting that weapon,” he said, accusing the government of betraying the Constitution and social justice.
🤝 Support from Students
The Congress leader also revealed he had recently interacted with Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) members, assuring them of support in the fight against what he called anti-reservation policies.
“This is not just a fight for education and employment – it is a fight for rights, respect, and representation,” he emphasized.