T-Congress asks KCR to frame new Education Policy

Hyderabad, July 1 (INN): Accusing the TRS Government of playing with the lives and careers of thousands of students, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Wednesday demanded that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao come out with one clear Education Policy to end the entire confusion.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Legislature Party Office here, Shabbir Ali pointed out that 10 out of 11 universities in the State have no regular Vice-Chancellors. The appointment of VCs is being delayed as KCR himself wants to become the Chancellor of varsities by amending the Universities Act. "The CM must hasten the processes. The delay in appointment of VCs is badly affecting the functioning of universities. Almost all universities have less than 50% staff and many employees are due to retire soon," he said.

Similarly, he said confusion is being created over the engineering seats and a deliberate attempt is being made to increase the demand-supply gap. Quoting figures, Shabbir Ali said there were 290 engineering colleges and about 163,570 seats in the State at the time of formation of Telangana. While the JNTU-Hyderabad had scrapped 43,000 seats last year, about 45 managements themselves have surrendered their colleges due to rising confusion. Of 245 colleges, the JNTU-H did not permit 25 colleges to admit students this year. This has reduced the number of seats in private colleges, under JNTU jurisdiction, to 77,955 as against 90,556 candidates, who qualified for EAMCET.

"Seventy engineering colleges and 85,615 seats were closed/lost in Telangana since the formation of new government. There will be a shortage of about 13,921 seats this year. The JNTU should do re-inspection and give some grace time to the colleges to fulfill the deficit. Loss of colleges and seats at this pace is of very serious concern," Shabbir Ali said.

Commenting about Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari's announcement that intermediate education in Government Junior Colleges would be free from this year, Shabbir Ali said that by introducing Fee Reimbursement and Scholarships schemes, the previous Congress Government provided free education, not only in government colleges, but also in private colleges. Further, the scheme was not confined to only intermediate, but all streams.

Shabbir Ali demanded that the TRS Government declare its Education Policy, as it did in the case of Industrial Policy to clear the entire confusion. The policy should have clarity on whether or not government will provide free KG to PG education, fee reimbursement, scholarships, appointment of staff and other related issues.