Opposition flags school closures, judicial diversity, and 100% FDI concerns in Rajya Sabha

Concerns over the state of public education in Uttar Pradesh, the lack of social diversity in the higher judiciary, and the implications of permitting 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector dominated Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (March 12, 2026).

Raising the issue of school closures, Javed Ali Khan of the Samajwadi Party said the government’s primary education network in Uttar Pradesh had been “nearly dismantled”. Of the 4.18 lakh sanctioned teaching posts, 85,000 remain vacant, while 1.5 lakh Shiksha Mitras continue on low wages. He noted that 2,586 schools operate with single teachers, and around 27,000 schools have either been shut or merged.

Teachers, he said, are overburdened with non-academic duties ranging from census and cattle counts to welfare scheme surveys, and in some States even managing stray cattle and dogs. Citing an order of the Allahabad High Court directing the government to relieve teachers of such additional tasks, he urged the Centre to ensure they are allowed to focus solely on teaching.

P. Sandosh Kumar of the Communist Party of India called on the government to reconsider allowing 100% FDI in insurance, arguing that the sector safeguards the savings of millions and should not be left entirely to foreign capital. He warned that multinational firms might prioritise urban markets, sideline rural consumers, and endanger the livelihoods of thousands of insurance agents. Mr. Kumar added that if foreign insurers withdrew or collapsed, accountability for policyholders’ protection would remain unclear.

P. Wilson of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam revisited the issue of social diversity and access within the judiciary, renewing his demand for regional benches of the Supreme Court of India. He pointed out that of the 593 High Court judges appointed in the last five years, nearly 80% were from forward communities. The Supreme Court currently has only one woman judge, two from religious minorities, one from the Scheduled Castes and none from the Scheduled Tribes. Broader representation, he said, is essential to ensure the judiciary reflects India’s social diversity.