অ্যাকসেসিবিলিটি লিংক

Man Sets Himself on Fire in India to Protest Proposed Education Reforms


An Indian man, reported to be a student, set himself on fire at a rally in New Delhi on Saturday to protest higher quotas for lower castes in educational institutions.

Authorities rushed the young man to the hospital. His condition, and the severity of his burns, is not clear.

The incident occurred as thousands gathered in the capital to denounce the government's plan to more than double the number of lower caste students in professional schools.

Government officials say the move is designed to reverse social discrimination against lower castes and boost their representation in top professions.

But the plan has sparked a series of protests throughout the country, with thousands of doctors, medical students and other professionals rallying against the new quota system.

Many doctors are on strike, forcing thousands of hospital patients to go without treatment or to seek care at costly private facilities.

Critics of the government's plan argue the quota will reduce the number of slots for students competing on merit and will hurt educational and professional standards.

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