IndiaPosted at: Oct 29 2026 12:30AM


Congress Accuses UP Government of Failing Students as Poor Aspirants Allegedly Sell Blood to Fund Education

New Delhi, Oct 28 (UNI) The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of pushing economically disadvantaged students to desperate lengths to finance their education, alleging that some were selling their blood two to four times a month to pay for coaching, hostel accommodation and other expenses.
The party also claimed that nearly five lakh students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities had been deprived of scholarships, and accused the state government of failing to address recurring examination irregularities and recruitment scams.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress office in New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam and the party’s national media coordinator Abhay Dubey referred to a sting operation by a leading media house that reportedly exposed the exploitation of financially vulnerable students in Prayagraj.
Gautam alleged that middlemen operating around the blood bank of the Allahabad Medical Association were targeting students living in hostels and persuading them to sell their blood using forged documents.
According to the media report cited by the Congress, students were allegedly paid between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000 per unit of blood, while recipients were charged up to Rs 8,000. Gautam warned that frequent blood donation could put students’ health at risk, including by causing anaemia, and questioned why young people struggling to pursue their studies were being driven to such extreme measures to meet their expenses.
The Congress leader argued that the alleged exploitation exposed the financial distress confronting students as the cost of education, coaching and accommodation continued to weigh heavily on families. He said the state government needed to explain how students from economically weaker backgrounds could pursue higher education when scholarship assistance was inadequate or unavailable.
Citing official figures, Gautam said the Centre’s contribution towards post-matric scholarships for SC students in Uttar Pradesh had fallen from Rs 674.83 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 366.02 crore in 2024-25.
He also criticised the government for not revising the income eligibility criteria for scholarships and increasing financial assistance in line with inflation, arguing that the resulting financial burden was making it increasingly difficult for disadvantaged students to continue their education.
The Congress also targeted the BJP government over the integrity of competitive examinations and recruitment processes in the state. Gautam presented a list of major paper leaks and recruitment examinations cancelled since 2018, contending that repeated irregularities had jeopardised the future of young aspirants who spent years preparing for government jobs.
The party argued that examination cancellations, allegations of paper leaks and uncertainty over recruitment had compounded the difficulties of students already struggling to finance their education.
Dubey alleged that young people were being forced to sell their blood to pay for their studies even as examination-related controversies threatened their career prospects. He further claimed that people linked to those in power had figured in several paper-leak cases and demanded accountability from the state government.
The Congress leaders also raised concerns over student suicides in Uttar Pradesh. Gautam claimed that an average of 132 students died by suicide every month, attributing the pressure on young people to financial hardship, uncertainty surrounding recruitment examinations and the absence of dependable employment opportunities. The figure and the party’s attribution underscore the need for transparent data and a comprehensive response to the pressures confronting students.
The allegations have brought scholarships, examination security and youth employment to the forefront of the Congress’s attack on the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. The party maintained that access to affordable education and fair, transparent recruitment examinations was essential to protecting the future of young people, particularly those from economically weaker families and marginalised communities.
The Congress leaders demanded that the state government answer questions over the alleged scholarship shortfall, repeated examination irregularities and the reported exploitation of students in Prayagraj.
They argued that the government must ensure that financial hardship does not force students into potentially dangerous practices and that young aspirants are not denied opportunities through alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment. The BJP government’s response to the allegations was not included in the material cited by the Congress. UNI SKA CDS
Tags: #Congress Accuses UP Government of Failing Students as Poor Aspirants Allegedly Sell Blood to Fund Education
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