After Rahul Gandhi’s nudge, Maharashtra scraps age limit for tribal hostel admissions

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to the Chief Minister posted on social media on Monday, raised a host of issues flagged by Adivasi students in Maharashtra who are on a hunger strike for the past 13 days.

Rahul Gandhi said, “In Pune, they told me about rules that strip them of their dignity and shut off their path to education.”

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi held his student outreach program ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Pune where a tribal student went on to the stage and objected to the age-limit norms. She also highlighted other problems faced by tribal students.

Drawing the Chief Minister’s attention to these challenges Gandhi said, ”Adivasi students come from remote villages and depend on government hostels to study in the cities. A new rule bars anyone over 30 from these hostels, excluding many who are still completing their studies or preparing for exams.”

The Congress MP said, ”Hostels are unsafe and often lack food, sanitation and medical care. Students have suffered injuries and deaths, including from snake bites. Facilities for women are worse still.”

Expressing his shock at the ”pregnancy tests” of female students, Gandhi said,’ ‘I was shocked to learn that female students returning after an extended absence must undergo pregnancy tests and a range of other medical tests, to prove their “fitness”. It is a humiliation that presumes them guilty until they prove otherwise. This rule is an attack on their dignity and their humanity.”

​Tribal students have been protesting in Pune and elsewhere in the state demanding recruitment, ₹1 crore assistance to each family of the deceased girls in Gadchiroli, along with various other demands.

​After the meeting, the Minister said, “Today, detailed discussions were held with all-party tribal MLAs and MPs from Maharashtra. In the Government Resolution (GR) dated August 14, 2026, the age limit for hostel admissions under the Tribal Development Department was set to 30 years. However, following suggestions from all MLAs and MPs, this condition has now been scrapped Therefore, going forward, there will be no age limit for hostel admissions.”

​Regarding the letter written by Rahul Gandhi to the Chief Minister, Minister Rahul Gandhi has not been provided with updated information.

”Three girls died due to snake bites at an Ashram school in Gadchiroli. Who owns that Ashram school? If Rahul Gandhi had been informed that this aided Ashram school, granted in 1992, belongs to one of their own former ministers, the question wouldn’t have arisen. He must have spoken like this due to incomplete information. Answers to all questions will be clear if one looks into who owns the 100% aided Ashram schools across Maharashtra, who runs them, how they are managed, and what facilities are available or missing there.”

”Considering the interests of the students along with the suggestions and objections received from public representatives, the Government Order (GR) dated August 14, 2026, as well as the comprehensive revised rules issued pursuant to it, have been completely cancelled with the approval of the Chief Minister, the Minister added.

Meanwhile, the State Congress today alleged that the BJP has no time to address the issues raised by tribal students.

”For the past 13 days, tribal students have been on a hunger strike across several places in the state, including Pune, Nashik, Wardha, and Palghar. The BJP Mahayuti government in the state makes big claims about development, but they have no time to address the issues of tribal students. A cabinet meeting was held yesterday, but the issues of tribal students were not discussed even there. The BJP Mahayuti government is anti-tribal. The demands of these tribal students must be accepted immediately; otherwise, we will have to take to the streets,” said MPCC president Harshwardhan Sapkal.

​ Sapkal visited the tribal students sitting on a hunger strike in Nashik. He was accompanied by MP Shobha Bachhav, Senior Vice President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Mohan Joshi, along with other office-bearers.

Speaking to the media, Sapkal alleged that corruption was rampant in the Tribal Development Department. ”Despite pocketing crores of rupees, students are not provided with any facilities. Students have been on a hunger strike for 10–12 days, yet not a single minister in the BJP Mahayuti government felt the need to take notice of them. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, personally intervened in this matter and sent a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The demands of the tribal students are reasonable and must be approved. This government pays no attention to the issues of tribal, Dalit, and backward class communities. If anything happens to the protesting students, the government and Chief Ministe will be held entirely responsible,” he said.

​Sapkal added,”Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uikey claims that Rahul Gandhi does not have updated information on tribal issues, but do you even have information about the department you are a minister of? Have you been sleeping for the past 13 days? The issue is about the demands of tribal students and pregnancy tests being conducted on female students in the name of medical examinations, yet the Minister is answering a completely different question instead of addressing this. This very minister tells students, “I cannot do anything, sorry, go meet the Chief Minister,” while the Chief Minister has no time to take note of this strike. Such people have no right to remain in power.”