Women leaders and students in Vadodara, Gujarat, have strongly backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's twin announcements from the Red Fort on 15 August 2025 — a renewed push for implementing the 33% women's reservation law and a government-funded free online coaching programme for competitive examinations. The pledges, made during India's 80th Independence Day address, drew immediate reactions from civic leaders, advocates, and students across the city.

Modi's Call on Women's Reservation

Addressing the nation, Modi urged all political parties to unite behind the swift implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the women's reservation legislation passed by Parliament in 2023, which guarantees 33% seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. The law's rollout remains tied to the completion of the national census and the delimitation exercise — both pending.

'Greater participation of women in legislative bodies would allow them to play a larger role in shaping the country's policies,' Modi said in his address.

Vadodara Women Leaders Respond

Varsha Vyas, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, said she was grateful to the Prime Minister for raising the issue from the country's most prominent platform. She invoked India's long history of women's contribution to national causes, citing the 1857 revolt and figures such as Rani Lakshmibai.

'I express my thanks, gratitude and congratulations to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speaking about this point from the Red Fort today. Since the 1857 revolt, we have seen that from Rani Lakshmibai onwards, whenever and wherever there was a need, women have stood firmly and resolutely for the development of the country,' Vyas said.

Advocate Komal Kukreja said the Prime Minister's appeal should serve as a signal to all parties to drop resistance. 'Prime Minister Modi has declared this from the Red Fort today on the 78th Independence Day, and has requested all parties that whatever requests were coming for implementing women's reservation, whatever obstacles were coming, all those countrymen and parties have been told that the participation of women, which is going to be 50 per cent from Panchayat to Parliament, should not be obstructed,' she said.

Advocate Sheetal Upadhyay also called on parties to set aside political differences. 'When he is inviting everyone from this platform, I would request all the parties through you as well, that all parties should keep aside whatever political differences there are, and when it comes to women, come together, support this and pass this Bill,' Upadhyay said.

Free Online Coaching for Competitive Exams

In a separate announcement targeting students and middle-class families, Modi said the government would launch free online coaching for competitive examinations, arguing that the cost of private coaching had become a financial strain for poorer households. He said digital access could enable students to prepare without relocating to larger cities or paying steep coaching fees.

Advocate and student Shalav Majmudar welcomed the move, saying it could level the playing field for aspirants outside metropolitan centres. 'This is a significant initiative announced by the Prime Minister. He understands that, for many families, education is the biggest means of fulfilling their aspirations. The announcement of free online coaching will greatly benefit people who do not have access to proper coaching facilities,' Majmudar said.

Broader Youth-Focused Measures

The free coaching scheme was part of a wider package of youth-oriented announcements in Modi's address. He also outlined plans to provide artificial intelligence training to one crore young people, alongside other initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for India's youth. Notably, this continues a pattern of Independence Day addresses being used to anchor large-scale social and economic commitments — with implementation timelines and funding structures typically detailed in subsequent policy circulars.

With the census and delimitation exercise still unscheduled, the timeline for activating the women's reservation law remains the critical open question that all parties — and the electorate — will be watching closely.