Congress-ruled states to prepare education reform plans by October 30

Chief Ministers and ministers from Congress-ruled states, alongside senior party leaders, convened in New Delhi on Tuesday, September 30, 2026, to discuss education policy and measures to prevent examination irregularities. The meeting, attended by Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, focused on reforms aimed at ensuring transparency in examinations and countering alleged ideological influences in textbooks.

The discussions come amid ongoing concerns over the integrity of competitive and recruitment examinations across states, including allegations of paper leaks. The Congress aims to establish its ruled states as ‘model states’ in education, with a coordinated framework for policy responses to these challenges.

Focus on Examination Transparency and Paper Leak Prevention

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to strategies for maintaining transparency in examinations and preventing question paper leaks. Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that high command leaders provided clear guidance on these issues, specifically mentioning examinations conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). He affirmed the commitment to bringing reforms in the education sector through a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Minister U.T. Khader.

The emphasis on examination integrity reflects broader concerns about irregularities in recruitment processes. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal indicated that Congress-ruled states would prepare detailed action plans for education reforms within a month, incorporating inputs from state-level consultations with education experts and stakeholders.

Addressing Ideological Influence in Education

The meeting also addressed concerns regarding what the Congress described as attempts to incorporate the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ideology into textbooks and the influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the education sector. Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar alleged that some states were attempting to infuse BJP ideology into textbooks, stating that guidance was given to act on national issues based on existing principles.

Chief Ministers are expected to hold presentations detailing how the RSS’s agenda is influencing the education system and appointments of Vice Chancellors. This aligns with the Congress’s previous calls for greater involvement of state governments in education policy and its 2024 manifesto commitment to revisit the National Education Policy in consultation with states.

Next Steps for Education Reforms

Following the meeting, Congress-ruled states are slated to organize state-level education seminars. These seminars will involve educationists, academic experts, student organizations, and other stakeholders to gather inputs for the proposed reforms. Within one month, Chief Ministers are tasked with preparing detailed action plans based on these consultations.

A national-level seminar involving experts will then be held to develop a mechanism for implementing these proposed plans across all Congress-ruled states. This structured approach aims to ensure a coordinated and effective rollout of education reforms, with the goal of establishing these states as leaders in the education sector.

Karnataka Chief Minister Addresses State Financial Issues

Separately, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar dismissed allegations of Rs 444 crore irregularities against Congress MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah as baseless. He stated, “He has been in office for only a few months. Is it possible for him to commit irregularities worth Rs 444 crore in such a short period? All of that is completely false and baseless.”

Shivakumar also acknowledged the state’s financial difficulties concerning a contractors’ association’s letter seeking the release of Rs 38,000 crore in pending dues. He attributed this financial burden to the previous B.S. Yediyurappa-led government, stating, “The previous B.S. Yediyurappa government awarded so many works and left behind a financial burden. Tell those holding press conferences to suggest a solution to this.” He assured that appropriate steps would be taken to address the financial issue, despite the difficult situation.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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