Hyderabad: The Telangana Education Commission (TEC) is working on a new education policy for Telangana. Chairperson Akunuri Murali and members Prof. P. L. Vishweshwar Rao, Dr. Charakonda Venkatesh, and K. Jyothsna Shiva Reddy visited Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) on Tuesday to gather insights.
They were welcomed by Vice-Chancellor Dr. T. Kishen Kumar Reddy, Rector Dr. K. Vijaya Kumar Reddy, and Registrar Dr. K. Venkateswara Rao. The university showcased its academic and research efforts in a detailed presentation.
Murali encouraged feedback from principals, faculty, staff, and students. Prof. Vishweshwar Rao stressed that these discussions are crucial to understanding the problems faced by educational institutions. College principals mentioned issues like late fee reimbursements and lack of infrastructure, particularly in new colleges. UCEMB, Mahabubabad’s principal pointed out land allocation delays with the CCLA.
Private colleges suggested restructuring fees based on infrastructure and factoring in maternity leave in evaluations. Contract faculty asked for overdue salaries and updated pay scales. Non-teaching staff requested health cards and retirement benefits.
The SC/ST Cell Coordinator pushed for more funding and mentorship to aid marginalized students in pursuing civil services. Students complained about the retention of original documents and highlighted the need for timely staff recruitment. They also called for courses relevant to communities and a unified job placement system.
Dr. Venkatesh promised actions from the Chief Minister and reminded private colleges to return students’ documents. Jyothsna Shiva Reddy praised the participation. Murali, a former student of UCESTH, noted the campus’s changes and stressed the importance of policies supporting quality education and research. He advocated for stronger ties between industry and academia and mentioned that TEC has held around 300 consultations so far.
Finally, Dr. Vijaya Kumar Reddy requested the government transfer ownership of the Kukatpally campus to JNTUH and thanked the Commission for their engagement.
