Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien on Monday urged principals of ICSE-ISC schools to unite in opposing the New Education Policy (NEP), alleging that it was “anti-federal” and framed without adequate consultation with states or key stakeholders.

Addressing a conference of school heads in Kolkata, O’Brien argued that the NEP undermined India’s federal structure as “no states were consulted” during its formulation.

He noted that several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have developed their own education policies.

“West Bengal implemented the state education policy in 2023 under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while Tamil Nadu’s policy and Karnataka’s draft policy were released in 2025,” he said, adding that the absence of stakeholder consultations had made the implementation of NEP-linked projects difficult for schools.

O’Brien was speaking as the chief guest at the 103rd Annual Conference of the Association of Heads of Anglo-Indian Schools in India, held at La Martiniere for Girls School in Kolkata. The event was attended by representatives of over 3,000 ICSE-ISC schools from across the country.

Raising concerns over the administration of minority-run educational institutions, the TMC leader said Article 30 of the Constitution grants minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice, a right he claimed was being “adversely affected by the centralising tendency of the NEP.”

He also flagged apprehensions about “legislation like the recently introduced Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill”, arguing that such measures further erode institutional autonomy.

O’Brien also criticised government spending on education, stating that it had “never touched 6 per cent of GDP”, as recommended in the NEP, and had instead remained stagnant at around 3-4 per cent.

He further encouraged members of the Christian community to remain visible in public life for “positive reasons”, underscoring their contribution to education and healthcare.

According to him, about six crore students are enrolled annually in nearly 54,000 Christian-run institutions across the country, with at least three out of four students belonging to non-Christian communities.

Healthcare institutions run by the community serve around 2 per cent of India’s population, he said, adding that nearly 80 per cent of this work is carried out in remote and medically underserved regions.