Progressive Democratic Students’ Union (PDSU)

pdsWorld history is full of examples of how students have, from time to time, come for the freedom of their country and against exploitation and oppression. Virtually all great social upsurges in history are marked by the active participation of students. Students have been clearly aware that their education and future are linked with that of their country and their and   their social system, and in fact are determined by the latter.

In India, thousands of students left their homes and studies and threw themselves into the anti-colonial struggles against the British. Our students have supported and participated in struggles of workers, peasants and common masses including the heroic Telanagana peasant armed struggle. The great Naxalbari peasant armed struggle enthused a large number of students who left their all to organize the peasants and other toiling sections in revolutionary movements. Students have participated in mass movements against price rise, against fare hikes and other general struggles of the people. Besides fighting on the issues directly affecting them, students came out in large numbers in agitations against corruption. Students have also been the spearhead of the various movements of the Progressive Democratic Students’ Union dedicate us to building a patriotic, progressive and democratic student movement in India. We will also strive to link our movement to the broader struggles of our people for genuine freedom, democracy and well being

Our Education System: A Part of Our Social System

Students in India go through an education system which is not designed to impart proper education to the vast masses of students. It is a dual system, the relatively expensive education catering to a very small section of students who come from the elite section of Indian society and can pay for their education. The rulers of India are not bothered about the quality of education available for the vast masses of students. Rather they aim to perpetuate slavish mentality and back ward thinking among the students, so that their policies should not be questioned.

Earlier, when the British ruled India, they had consciously established a colonial education system. In it Indians were trained to be ‘babus’ or cogs in the British Govt. machinery. The same was used to oppress and exploit our country and people. Thus this education was designed to make the students intellectual slaves of the values and culture of British rulers in the interest of perpetuating British rule over India.

The education system has been one of the arenas of struggle between the value system and culture promoted by the colonial masters and the patriotic forces. On one side stood the colonialists and their Indian dalals, the big capitalists and big landlords. On the other side were the patriotic forces of India, who laid stress on the culture of the working masses- the workers, the peasantry and the middle classes. The colonial education promoted a value system which created aspirations for a better personal life at all costs without bothering about the social good. It encouraged subservience before authority, awe of the colonialists and ‘gratitude’ to them for all the ‘benefits’ they were giving the country. This, while in reality they enslaved our people, looted our rich natural and human resources and exploited our masses.

1. To free India from the jaws of imperialism, feudalism and their servitors.

2. For a pro-people, scientific and progressive education system.

3. Against dual education policy, for compulsory closure of elitist schools and colleges and all education through state owned institutions.

4.  Against commercialization, privatization and communalization of education.

5. Oppose communalization of history and for a materialistic study of world history and Indian history.

6.  For raising the education budget to a minimum of 10% and for its proper utilization.

7. Free education for all and linkage of education with jobs. Provide jobs for all.

8. Stop repression on democratic student movements. Stop attacks on rights of common people, especially student masses.

9. Struggle against gender oppression and exploitation of women.

10. Against Caste oppression and division. Support to reservation for weaker sections as a democratic demand.

11. For communal amity, and for rights to all nationalities. Fight against communalism, especially majority communalism and fundamentalism.

12. Against language oppression, and for right to education in mother tongue.

13. Against superstitions, rituals, revivalism, and against cultural degradation. Against aping of imperialist cultural and for development of a progressive, pro-people culture.

We, the members of PDSU, vow to build struggles on the above demands and to follow in the heroic footsteps of our martyrs and all martyrs of democratic students’ struggles. For us society is primary, the individual is secondary.

We vow to mobilize the students to struggle for their rights and to integrate with the basic masses. It is clear that the above demands can be achieved only through new democratic transformation of the society.

We pledge to join hands with all like minded forces and organizations in pursuit of the above mentioned aims and objectives.