As the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 approach, education has become a key issue in the political debate. Congress leader Ajay Maken has claimed that the number of students appearing for and passing Class 12 in Delhi government schools has declined under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Drop in Student Pass Rates and Enrollment
During a press conference, Maken presented data comparing student pass rates before and after AAP took power:
- 2008-09 to 2013-14: The number of students passing Class 12 in Delhi government schools increased from 75,974 to 1.47 lakh.
- 2014-15: The number dropped to 1.23 lakh under AAP’s governance.
- 2017-18: Further declined to 1.02 lakh.
- 2019-20: Slight increase to 1.09 lakh.
- 2023-24: Increased to 1.46 lakh, which Maken attributes to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many students shifted from private to government schools.
He alleged that students are being deliberately failed in Class 11 to improve the pass percentage in Class 12.
Shift from Government to Private Schools
Maken pointed out that the overall enrollment in government schools has dropped, with more students opting for private institutions:
- 2009-10: Government schools had 14.66 lakh students, private schools had 12.28 lakh.
- 2013-14: Government school enrollment peaked at 17.75 lakh, while private schools had 13.57 lakh.
- 2018-19: For the first time, private school enrollment (16.61 lakh) surpassed government school enrollment (16.47 lakh).
Maken argued that AAP’s much-publicized education reforms have not prevented this decline.
Delhi’s Air Pollution and Public Transport Crisis
Maken also criticized the AAP government’s handling of air pollution, claiming that vehicular emissions have risen from 28% in 2016 to 47% of total PM 2.5 emissions in Delhi. He attributed this to the decline in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus services:
- 2012-13 (Congress rule): DTC carried 46.77 lakh passengers per day.
- August 2024 (AAP rule): Passenger numbers dropped to 24.43 lakh per day.
- DTC fleet: Reduced from 5,609 buses (2012-13) to 4,541 (August 2024).
Maken blamed AAP for failing to expand Delhi’s public transport, leading to increased private vehicle use and worsening pollution.
Delhi Elections: Three-Way Battle
The 2025 Delhi Assembly Elections are shaping up to be a three-way contest between AAP, Congress, and BJP.
- AAP: Facing criticism over education and pollution but focusing on Jat reservation demands.
- BJP: Targeting AAP over the Delhi liquor excise policy scam and pollution crisis.
- Congress: Looking to regain ground, challenging both AAP and BJP on governance issues.
With election tensions rising, education and infrastructure remain at the center of the political debate.
