End segregation of students on caste, religion basis: CM Revanth at TEP meet

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today called for an end to the segregation of students based on caste and religion.

In a meeting to discuss the new Telangana Education Policy (TEP), he pitched for BC, SC, ST, and minority Gurukuls to end discrimination. CM Revanth emphasized the need for equal opportunities for everyone in schools to instill the feeling that "everyone is the same," ensuring the reformed system benefits the poor rather than individuals or government employees.

He said language, basic knowledge, and skills are the three most important requirements in the education policy.

CM Revanth Reddy stressed that quality education is the "only weapon to root out poverty" in the absence of sufficient land and funds for direct distribution to the poor.

CM Reddy expressed concern that the current system is failing to provide these three crucial elements: language, basic knowledge, and skills, hindering students from competing globally. He asserted that the new policy must deliver these basic requirements.

Skill Deficits and Unemployment

The Chief Minister highlighted a critical failure of the current education system to generate talented individuals capable of seizing opportunities created by economic liberalization. While acknowledging the success of youth in the software sector due to the proliferation of engineering colleges, he noted a dismal employment rate, stating that "not more than 10 per cent of the lakhs of passed out engineers were getting jobs." He attributed this primarily to a lack of sufficient skills and called for a complete reformation of the education sector to generate opportunities in other fields as well.

Recalling the vision of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in establishing institutions like universities and IITs, CM Reddy expressed worry over the declining educational standards from the school to the university level. He also voiced concern that students are becoming addicted to drugs due to a lack of skills and employment.

In line with modern industry requirements, the government has already revamped courses in ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) and established the Young India Skill University.

Prioritizing Government Schools

To address the declining enrollment in government schools, CM Reddy stated that despite allocating huge funds, parents are opting for private institutions, which offer education starting from Nursery/LKG and provide "adequate attention" to students. He insisted that the TEP must consider creating the same atmosphere and attention in government schools to attract parents.

The government has already taken steps to strengthen the system by recruiting teachers, maintaining a healthy teacher-to-student ratio, and undertaking promotions and transfers. The appointment of Vice Chancellors to all universities is also part of strengthening higher education, to restore institutions like Osmania and Kakatiya Universities as hubs of ideology and activism on people's issues.

Financial Commitment and Future Vision

Reiterating the government's commitment, CM Reddy announced the decision to set up a special Education Corporation to liberally spend funds on improving infrastructure and educational standards. He mentioned requesting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to exempt education development loans from the FRBM limit and consider education expenditure as an investment.

The CM instructed educationists to form sub-committees and prepare the best document, highlighting that the use of technology must be a key feature.

Professor B.S. Murthy, Director of IIT Hyderabad, highlighted their success in encouraging startups and securing 180 patents in a single year.