RAJNANDGAON,CG: Agriculture students have demanded that agricultural trades remain part of the vocational education program approved by the State Project Office. To voice their concerns, they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Collector addressed to Collector Sanjay Aggarwal.

Since the 2014-15 academic session, the State Project Office of Samagra Shiksha has been offering agricultural trades in various schools across the state through vocational trainers. For the 2023-24 session, 552 schools are set to teach various trades, and in the 2024-25 session, 100 government schools will participate. The Central Government had approved vocational education programs, including agricultural trades. However, the office has recently issued directives to all District Education Officers and Principal Offices, requesting consent letters to cancel the approved agricultural trade positions and replace them with other trades.

Students argue that removing agricultural trades from vocational education in an agriculturally advanced state would be an injustice to the farming community and to unemployed youth pursuing agricultural degrees. While both central and state governments are focusing on advanced agriculture and its commercialization, the removal of agricultural trades from the vocational program by Samagra Shiksha Chhattisgarh is seen as unfair.

Considering the importance of agricultural development and education in the state, students are demanding that the approved positions for agricultural trades be retained. They have warned that failure to do so will lead to intensified protests.