Western powers disrupted India's traditional education system, says Mohan Bhagwat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

• India must be strong in all sectors to become a global leader
• Education and healthcare should stay accessible, not commercial
• Bhagwat calls for unity, conversion checks, and higher Hindu birth rates

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said India must become strong in all sectors to truly achieve its goal of emerging as a global leader, asserting that the world respects truth only when it is backed by strength.

Addressing a research scholars' interaction programme at the Malaviya Auditorium of Lucknow University, he said education and healthcare are fundamental necessities and should not be treated as commercial activities. He stressed that both must remain accessible to all sections of society.

In a critical assessment of the western education system, the RSS chief said western powers disrupted India's traditional education system during colonial rule and imposed their own model to create a class of English-educated workers, adding that distortions caused during that period needs to be corrected.

Earlier, addressing a 'social harmony' meeting at Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Nirala Nagar on Tuesday, Bhagwat said that "everyone must abide by the law" while responding to a query on the UGC guidelines issue.

Referring to the controversy surrounding the recently stayed UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, he said if any law is found to be flawed, there is a constitutional mechanism to amend it.

"Law has to be followed by all. If a law is wrong, there are ways to change it," he said, adding that caste should not become a cause of conflict in society.

Bhagwat stressed that a sense of belonging and harmony in society can prevent such disputes. "Those who have been left behind must be helped to rise. All are ours. The world progresses through coordination, not conflict," Bhagwat said.

The RSS chief also called for greater unity and organisation within Hindu society, expressing concern over declining population growth among Hindus and alleged instances of forced or inducement-based religious conversions.

He said efforts should be made to bring back those who wish to return to the Hindu fold, and that infiltration must be checked. Bhagwat further said families should be encouraged to have at least three children, citing studies that suggest societies with fertility rates below replacement levels face long-term decline.