Prayagraj students selling blood to afford coaching fees: Congress petition

Students from rural and low-income backgrounds in Prayagraj are reportedly selling blood at frequencies ranging from two to four times per month to cover expensive coaching centre fees, hostel charges, and meal expenses, according to a memorandum filed with the National Human Rights Commission by the Congress party.

The petition highlights how coaching fees, combined with accommodation and dining costs, have placed educational aspirations beyond the financial reach of underprivileged students in the Uttar Pradesh city. Rather than abandon their academic pursuits, many have turned to blood donation as a means of generating immediate funds to sustain their studies.

The allegation underscores broader concerns about equity in access to quality education in India, where private coaching has become increasingly essential for competitive examinations yet remains prohibitively expensive for low-income families. The practice of repeated blood donation at such frequency raises significant health and safety concerns, as medical guidelines recommend longer intervals between donations to allow adequate physical recovery.

The Congress memorandum seeks intervention from the NHRC to investigate the scale of the problem and address systemic barriers preventing poor students from accessing affordable education and coaching services without resorting to potentially harmful measures.