CPI demands disbanding of NTA, reforms in wildlife law

The Hindu

13 hours ago

The Communist Party of India (CPI) Thrissur district conference has demanded the immediate disbanding of the National Testing Agency (NTA), accusing it of jeopardising the future of students and the integrity of country's education system.
A resolution passed at the four-day conference being held at Irinjalakuda condemned repeated irregularities and alleged large-scale corruption in exams conducted by the NTA, claiming that the agency operates with no transparency or accountability.
The CPI alleged that the NTA had become a breeding ground for question paper leaks and mafia gangs, transforming examination malpractice into a billion-rupee racket. Students who studied day and night for these tests were being thrown into despair, with cases of student suicides reported.
The party, in a resolution, called for decentralising exam responsibilities and restoring the authority of UGC and universities to ensure transparency and fairness.
The conference also raised strong opposition to the Central government's increasing interference in Kerala's cooperative sector, which has long been considered a model for the country. The CPI criticised the move to permit multi-State cooperative societies to establish branches across Kerala without the consent of the State.
These societies operated without regulation or oversight, creating ambiguity around their financial dealings. Their unchecked expansion posed a threat to the functioning of traditional cooperative credit societies in the State. The CPI resolution also accused the Centre of using investigative agencies to destabilise democratic practices within State-run cooperative societies.
The CPI called upon the State government to enact a comprehensive law to prevent superstition and exploitative rituals. It also demanded urgent amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 in light of increasing human-wildlife conflicts in Kerala.
According to CPI, Kerala — due to its extensive forest cover and population density — witnessed rising incidents of wildlife attacks, resulting in over 40 human deaths annually. The party blamed the rigid provisions of the Central law for obstructing efforts to protect human lives and property.
While the Centre relaxed norms for industrial use of protected forests in favour of corporates, it refused to amend the same law for the protection of forest-dwelling communities, the party noted.
The conference called for wider implementation of food and water provisioning schemes within forests to reduce animal intrusion into human habitats and demanded urgent reforms to prioritise the safety and livelihood of the hill and forest-dwelling populations.
The four-day meet will conclude on Sunday.