must demand more scholarships and hostel fa-
cilities for needy and poor children, and espe-
cially for the children of the scheduled castes and
tribes. It must demand that school and college
fees, where levied, must be brought down to the
level of fees in Government institutions. It must
campaign and fight for educational opportunities
for everyone including those who are employed
to improve their knowledge and skills and to ac-
quire diplomas and degrees of the higher levels
of education by studying privately, or after work,
or in other ways.
All Education Through the Mother Tongue and
a Scientific Syllabus:
Around this slogan is built the important concept
that education for the people must be imparted at
all stages through their mother tongue, and that
the content of education must make sense in the
modern world, in other words, must be scientific
and relevant. The student community must fight
for the abolition of the bankrupt three-language
formula and to ensure that all the State lan-
guages must be given at the Government level.
It must campaign and fight for uniform syllabi
and standards of education in all States, and a
syllabi at all levels by chopping off the abundant
deadwood and by introducing modern scientific
principles into the content of education. The stu-
dent community must oppose the frequent and
senseless changing of textbooks; must demand,
nevertheless, that the textbooks be brought up
to date on the latest developments in science and
history; and must wage war on obscurantism and
unscientific influences, especially the decadent
cultural ideas which U. S. imperialism injects
into our educational system.The state must take over all educational insti-
tutions and ensure democratic administration
at all levels: Around this slogan is built the idea
that education for the Indian people cannot be
allowed to remain a source of profit for the vari-
ous vested interests.
Ensure the Democratic Rights of All Students:
Around this slogan is built a most important
platform of the SFI and the democratic student
movement. All those above 18 years of age must
be given the franchise. Students must have the
right to form their fighting unions, elected by
themselves, which must be given all the necessary
facilities to function as student unions. Students
must be given representation in the administra-
tive and academic bodies of colleges and univer-
sities and the management of educational insti-
tutions. Students and teachers should pay great
attention to the improvement of their mutual
relations. It is essential for an education worthy
of the people and for the democratic movement
that the relation between the teacher and the
student is based on mutual respect and coopera-
tion. It is equally essential that students develop a
close relation with the people, especially with the
toiling people, and work in solidarity) with them.A.K.Gopalan leading a processionStudent Struggle | June - July 2019 33