More than half of aspiring MPs in Vidarbha are not educated
Manka Behl | TNN | Apr 8, 2019, 05:07 IST
Out of 163 contestants from ten constituencies, around 93 don’t have a degree tooNagpur: Keeping politics out of education might be a tough task but keeping education out of politics isn’t a big deal. Especially when more than half of our aspiring political leaders are “not-so uneducated”.
While a recent plea filed in Supreme Court seeks that political party candidates should at least be graduates, TOI’s analysis of affidavits show that as many as 57% of candidates in Vidarbha are uneducated, comprising many who have never been to college. Out of 163 contestants from ten constituencies, around 93 don’t have a degree too.
Apart from first-time contenders and lesser known-candidates, the lot also includes some who’s who netas from national political parties. Former South Indian films actress Navneet Rana, who is contesting from Amravati, has studied till Std X only.
Sitting BJP MP and minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir has also studied till Std X. The affidavit of Akola’s Congress candidate Hidayatulla Patel too mentions his “highest qualification” as a Std X pass-out.
With a law degree, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP candidate from Nagpur, is among the few well educated candidates. His main rival Nana Patole from Congress has not completed his graduation.
Among the least educated candidates are independent candidate from Buldhana Ganpatrao Akhre who has studied only till Std VII, Amravati’s independent candidates Ambadas Wankhede and Raju Mankar who have studied till Std VIII and V, respectively, Ramtek’s Vanchit Bahujan Agadi’s candidate Kiran Rodge who failed in Std V and others.
Stressing that the minimum qualification criteria should be graduation for contesting elections, director of Tuli group of educational institutes Urvashi Yashroy says, “The govt has been offering free education to under privileged section of the society and many contestants claim to be from that background, thus getting sympathy votes from that section. They could inspire many by qualifying themselves. Basic education is essential for all and this applies to our leadership too.”
Yashroy believes that education not only improves thinking and issue-resolving capabilities but also makes politicians a better role models for the populace. “Bureaucracy will certainly not be able to manipulate any political leader, if he himself is a conscious decision maker,” she adds.
In Vidarbha, Buldhana has the highest percentage of uneducated candidates (see table). Even in Bhandara-Gondia where majority of contestants are educated, the percentage of uneducated stands at 35.7. Apart from it, Gadchiroli-Chimur is the only constituency where number of educated candidates is more than uneducated ones.
In a country like India where even the mightiest politicians pride themselves on their humble origins and lack of education, degrees are probably more of a handicap than an advantage, feels Supantha Bhattacharya, associate professor and director of postgraduate English department at Hislop College. “Educated or otherwise, politicians of all ilk do think rationally and for the larger good — of their own kind! It is an arrangement which is symbiotic in nature — the bureaucrats get an ego boost from managing the nitty-gritties of a creaking system, while their bosses spend their valuable time securing the future of their progeny. Educating the voter might prove to be more salutary for the body politic, but what an anti national idea, sirji,” he says.
Bhandara-Gondia & Gadchiroli-Chimur only 2 constituencies where number of educated candidates is more than uneducated ones
Educational background of some prominent leaders
Hansraj Ahir | BJP | Chandrapur — SSC
Prataprao Jadhav | Shiv Sena | Buldhana — BA, First year
Hidayatulla Patel | Indian National Congress | Akola — SSC
Navneet Rana | Yuva Swabhiman Party | Amravati — SSC
Ramdas Tadas | BJP | Wardha — SSC
Nana Patole | Indian National Congress — BA, Second year
Manikrao Tahkre | Yavatmal-Washim — BA, Second year
District-wise percentage of uneducated leaders
1. Buldhana: Total: 12 No of uneducated: 10 83.33%
2. Akola: Total: 11 No of uneducated: 7 63.63%
3. Amravati: Total: 24 No of uneducated: 15 62.5%
4. Wardha: Total: 14 No of uneducated: 7 50%
5. Ramtek: Total: 16 No of uneducated: 10 62.5%
6. Nagpur: Total: 30 No of uneducated: 17 56.66%
7. Bhandara-Gondia: Total: 14 No of uneducated: 5 35.71%
8. Gadchiroli-Chimur: Total: 5 No of uneducated: 2 40%
9. Chandrapur: Total: 13 No of uneducated: 8 61.5%
10. Yavatmal-Washim: Total: 24 No of uneducated: 12 50%
While a recent plea filed in Supreme Court seeks that political party candidates should at least be graduates, TOI’s analysis of affidavits show that as many as 57% of candidates in Vidarbha are uneducated, comprising many who have never been to college. Out of 163 contestants from ten constituencies, around 93 don’t have a degree too.
Apart from first-time contenders and lesser known-candidates, the lot also includes some who’s who netas from national political parties. Former South Indian films actress Navneet Rana, who is contesting from Amravati, has studied till Std X only.
Sitting BJP MP and minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir has also studied till Std X. The affidavit of Akola’s Congress candidate Hidayatulla Patel too mentions his “highest qualification” as a Std X pass-out.
With a law degree, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP candidate from Nagpur, is among the few well educated candidates. His main rival Nana Patole from Congress has not completed his graduation.
Among the least educated candidates are independent candidate from Buldhana Ganpatrao Akhre who has studied only till Std VII, Amravati’s independent candidates Ambadas Wankhede and Raju Mankar who have studied till Std VIII and V, respectively, Ramtek’s Vanchit Bahujan Agadi’s candidate Kiran Rodge who failed in Std V and others.
Stressing that the minimum qualification criteria should be graduation for contesting elections, director of Tuli group of educational institutes Urvashi Yashroy says, “The govt has been offering free education to under privileged section of the society and many contestants claim to be from that background, thus getting sympathy votes from that section. They could inspire many by qualifying themselves. Basic education is essential for all and this applies to our leadership too.”
Yashroy believes that education not only improves thinking and issue-resolving capabilities but also makes politicians a better role models for the populace. “Bureaucracy will certainly not be able to manipulate any political leader, if he himself is a conscious decision maker,” she adds.
In Vidarbha, Buldhana has the highest percentage of uneducated candidates (see table). Even in Bhandara-Gondia where majority of contestants are educated, the percentage of uneducated stands at 35.7. Apart from it, Gadchiroli-Chimur is the only constituency where number of educated candidates is more than uneducated ones.
In a country like India where even the mightiest politicians pride themselves on their humble origins and lack of education, degrees are probably more of a handicap than an advantage, feels Supantha Bhattacharya, associate professor and director of postgraduate English department at Hislop College. “Educated or otherwise, politicians of all ilk do think rationally and for the larger good — of their own kind! It is an arrangement which is symbiotic in nature — the bureaucrats get an ego boost from managing the nitty-gritties of a creaking system, while their bosses spend their valuable time securing the future of their progeny. Educating the voter might prove to be more salutary for the body politic, but what an anti national idea, sirji,” he says.
Bhandara-Gondia & Gadchiroli-Chimur only 2 constituencies where number of educated candidates is more than uneducated ones
Educational background of some prominent leaders
Hansraj Ahir | BJP | Chandrapur — SSC
Prataprao Jadhav | Shiv Sena | Buldhana — BA, First year
Hidayatulla Patel | Indian National Congress | Akola — SSC
Navneet Rana | Yuva Swabhiman Party | Amravati — SSC
Ramdas Tadas | BJP | Wardha — SSC
Nana Patole | Indian National Congress — BA, Second year
Manikrao Tahkre | Yavatmal-Washim — BA, Second year
District-wise percentage of uneducated leaders
1. Buldhana: Total: 12 No of uneducated: 10 83.33%
2. Akola: Total: 11 No of uneducated: 7 63.63%
3. Amravati: Total: 24 No of uneducated: 15 62.5%
4. Wardha: Total: 14 No of uneducated: 7 50%
5. Ramtek: Total: 16 No of uneducated: 10 62.5%
6. Nagpur: Total: 30 No of uneducated: 17 56.66%
7. Bhandara-Gondia: Total: 14 No of uneducated: 5 35.71%
8. Gadchiroli-Chimur: Total: 5 No of uneducated: 2 40%
9. Chandrapur: Total: 13 No of uneducated: 8 61.5%
10. Yavatmal-Washim: Total: 24 No of uneducated: 12 50%
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