Strong education system important to realise ‘Viksit Bharat’ dream: Brajesh Pathak

Pathak links stronger schools to the vision of a developed India

Indiadailyupdate.com – Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak has placed teachers at the centre of India’s development ambitions, saying a robust education system will be essential if the country is to achieve the goal of “Viksit Bharat”, or a developed India.

Speaking at a teachers’ meeting in Aligarh ahead of the Agra region graduate and teachers’ MLC elections scheduled for October 23, Pathak said the experience and suggestions of educators deserve serious attention. He described teachers as people who help build the foundations of a stronger nation by shaping young minds.

The meeting brought the discussion beyond the immediate electoral contest, focusing on the role schools and teachers play in preparing young people for the future. Pathak said the BJP government considers respect for the teaching profession, protection of teachers’ rights and improvement of the education system among its leading priorities.

Teachers and the future of young people

Pathak argued that the quality of a country’s education has a direct bearing on its social and national progress. In his view, teachers do more than deliver classroom lessons: they guide students, help them develop values and equip them to participate constructively in society.

“Teachers are the biggest assets for any nation as they shape the future of the youth to ensure a stronger nation. Only teacher can contribute to make education system more effective, qualitative and useful for society,” Pathak said.

He connected that responsibility to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat vision. The term is used to describe the aspiration of making India a developed nation, with young citizens expected to have a major role in that journey. Pathak said this places additional importance on educators, whose work can influence both academic learning and the broader development of students.

“To realise the dream of ‘Viksit Bharat’ as envisaged by PM Narendra Modi, the youth are to play a major role and this makes the role of teachers important as they impart education, guide students and make them cultured,” he added.

For teachers and voters in the graduate and teachers’ constituency, the comments underline why education policy often reaches beyond school administration. Questions involving teacher protections, learning standards, facilities and student guidance can shape the wider promise of economic and social advancement being made in political campaigns.

Political criticism of the previous state government

Pathak also used his address to criticise the Samajwadi Party’s period in government. He said Uttar Pradesh had been regarded as a “Bimaru” state under SP rule, a term historically applied to states seen as lagging on major development indicators. He alleged that communal disturbances occurred repeatedly during that period and said education, healthcare and law-and-order conditions had deteriorated before 2017.

His remarks were political assertions made while addressing an audience connected to the upcoming MLC polls. Pathak said criminal and mafia-linked groups had greater freedom during the SP administration, which, he alleged, enabled land encroachment. He also claimed that people from Uttar Pradesh faced an identity-related discomfort when travelling outside the state.

“Goon and mafia elements had full freedom during the SP regime which encouraged them to encroach land. Those in UP faced an identity crisis while visiting other states. Parents used to get worried if their daughters returned home late and girls avoided moving out of their places after 5pm,” the deputy CM added.

Pathak further alleged that power supply and infrastructure were uneven before the BJP formed the government in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. He said Saifai and Etawah received electricity while other areas faced prolonged darkness, and he described roads as neglected and full of potholes. He also claimed that industrialists were leaving the state for other locations.

“Only Saifai and Etawah used to get electricity supply while other parts of the state remained plunged in darkness. Infrastructure was a neglected subject and roads were full of potholes while industrialists were migrating to other states,” Pathak said.

Election message ahead of the MLC vote

The Agra region graduate and teachers’ MLC elections are set for October 23, giving Pathak’s outreach to educators a clear electoral context. Such constituencies are distinct from general assembly contests because their electorate includes eligible graduates and teachers, making professional concerns and education-related issues particularly relevant to campaign messaging.

Pathak said the BJP’s rise to power in 2017 brought an end to riots that had affected festivals in the state. He projected confidence about the party’s prospects in future elections, saying it would win the Uttar Pradesh assembly election in 2027 as well as the Lok Sabha election in 2029.

“Riots, which used to affect our festivals, ended after the BJP came to power in 2017. It will win the 2027 assembly polls in UP and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections,” he added.

At the heart of his speech was the argument that educational improvement should be treated as a long-term national priority. By presenting teachers as mentors, rights-holders and contributors to public development, Pathak sought to link the concerns of the profession with the larger political objective of building a stronger Uttar Pradesh and advancing the Viksit Bharat vision.