Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan fiercely criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on July 25, 2025, accusing him of practicing “politics of falsehood” over claims of vacant reserved posts for SCs, STs, and OBCs in Central universities. Responding to Gandhi’s allegation that the Modi government’s failure to fill these posts was a “well-planned conspiracy” to exclude Bahujans from education and research, Pradhan called the remarks divisive and baseless.

Earlier that day, Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, demanded immediate filling of the 7,726 vacant reserved posts, as per 2024 UGC data, accusing the government of a “Manuwadi boycott” against marginalized communities. Pradhan countered, alleging that during Congress rule, OBC posts were frequently labeled “not suitable” and reassigned to general category candidates. “Those with poison in their hearts see only poison,” he told reporters, defending the BJP’s record by claiming increased OBC recruitment under their tenure.

Data from the Ministry of Education shows that of 18,580 sanctioned teaching posts in 46 Central universities, 36% of reserved posts for SCs (1,418), STs (1,039), and OBCs (5,269) remain vacant as of January 2025, a slight improvement from 2023’s 38%. Pradhan emphasized ongoing recruitment drives, with 1,200 posts filled in 2024 alone. The exchange highlights escalating political tensions over affirmative action, with Congress accusing the BJP of undermining reservation policies, while the government insists it is addressing the backlog systematically.

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