Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday, 24 July 2026, shared and endorsed an opinion piece by Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, amplifying her charge that the Modi government has weakened India's education system while governing without accountability, empathy, or transparency.

Context

Sukhu's post references an article authored by Sonia Gandhi and published in a national daily, in which she levels a pointed critique at the Narendra Modi-led central government over its handling of education policy and student grievances. Sharing the piece, Sukhu wrote in Hindi: 'मोदी सरकार ने केवल भारत की शिक्षा व्यवस्था को कमजोर नहीं किया, बल्कि बिना जवाबदेही के, आत्ममुग्धता और असंवेदनशीलता के साथ शासन करने की प्रवृत्ति भी विकसित कर ली है' — translated: 'The Modi government has not only weakened India's education system, but has also developed a tendency to govern without accountability, with narcissism and insensitivity.'

Sukhu added that Indian students have 'exposed the reality of this government,' and asserted that standing with them and protecting their future is a 'moral, political, and constitutional obligation' of the Indian National Congress.

Policy Backdrop

Education is a concurrent subject under the Indian Constitution, meaning both the Centre and states share legislative responsibility — a structure that has historically generated friction between governments of different political persuasions. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, introduced by the BJP-led central government, replaced the 1986 National Education Policy and brought sweeping changes including a new 5+3+3+4 school structure, common entrance tests for higher education, and revised language-of-instruction norms.

Opposition-ruled states, including Himachal Pradesh, have raised concerns about the pace of NEP implementation, central funding patterns, and the perceived erosion of state autonomy in curriculum and faculty recruitment — particularly following multiple revisions to University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations after 2014. The Right to Education Act, 2009, enacted during the UPA government, had earlier enshrined elementary education as a fundamental right under Article 21A, a legislative legacy Congress leaders frequently invoke in this debate.

Stakeholders and Impact

At the centre of the political exchange are India's students — particularly those preparing for competitive examinations and enrolled in state universities — who have been vocal about examination irregularities, syllabus changes, and institutional uncertainty. Sonia Gandhi's article frames these grievances as symptomatic of a broader governance deficit at the national level, a framing Sukhu has now carried to his social media audience in Himachal Pradesh.

State universities in opposition-governed states face a dual pressure: compliance with central UGC mandates on one hand, and limited fiscal space on the other, as funding disputes between the Centre and states remain unresolved. Aspiring youth in smaller states like Himachal Pradesh, where government employment remains a primary aspiration, are particularly sensitive to disruptions in examination cycles and policy continuity.

What's Next

The timing of Sukhu's post — and Sonia Gandhi's article — is politically significant ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, where the Education Ministry's demands for grants and broader policy accountability are expected to come under scrutiny from the opposition benches. Congress is likely to use student concerns as a sustained legislative and public-communication strategy through the session. Whether the BJP-led central government responds with a policy clarification or a counter-narrative on NEP outcomes will shape the next phase of this debate.