Stressing the need to develop a powerful students’ movement to fight against the commercialization, privatization and saffronization of Education, 15^th Conference of Progressive Democratic Students’ Union (PDSU) Andhra Pradesh was held from February 1 to 3, 2001 at the coastal town of Ongole. Prior to the delegate session, a procession was taken out through the streets of Ongole which ended in a public meeting. Nearly 3,000 students participated in the procession and hundreds of others joined them in the public meeting.

Public meeting was addressed by Com. M. Naryana Swamy, IFTU AP General Secretary Com. S. Venkateshwar Rao, Prakasam District Secy. of CPI(ML)-New Democracy Com. Chittipati, Com. M. Shriniwas and Com. Ch. Sagar, President and General Secretary of the PDSU. The speakers highlighted the dangers to the education system posed by the privatization of education under the WTO dictated policies. Arunodaya enlivened the proceedings with stirring performances. The stage was decorated with PDSU flags and portraits of Che Guevera, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Aluri Seetharamaraju, PDSU founder Geroge Reddy and Jampala Prasad, Srikakulam martyrs Mallikarjun, Bal Reddy, Bhaskar and other student martyrs.

Next day delegate session began with unfurling of the PDSU flag and homage to martyrs. 650 delegates representing nearly 150,000 students participated in the Conference. Com. Yatendra Kumar, General Secretary of CPI(ML)-New Democracy inaugurated the Conference.

In the course of the Conference Prof. Kodanda Reddy of Osmania University delivered a lecture on commercialization of education and next day Prof. Shamsul Islam spoke on the saffronization of education.

On behalf of the PDSU State EC, a detailed report was presented by Com. Sagar which was approved by the Conference after extensive discussion. M. Shriniwas and Ch. Sagar were re-elected as President and General Secretary respectively along with other EC members.