Hyderabad: Intermediate students are now in a state of panic after the Telangana government adopted a strong stance saying it will go ahead with its own Intermediate exams and Eamcet from 2014, despite neighbouring Andhra Pradesh’s opposition to the plan.
The tussle could result in another legal battle between the two states though Andhra Pradesh government is yet to take a call on the issue. All eyes though, are now on the latter and it is learnt that a final decision will be taken at a Cabinet meet scheduled for Thursday.
Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) chairman Prof. T. Papi Reddy said Telangana will conduct its own Intermediate and Eamcet irrespective of the stand adopted by Andhra Pradesh.
“We will hold our own exams and we are ready to face any eventuality,” he said. Officials argue that the AP Reorganisation Act mandates that “the existing common admission process” shall continue for 10 years but that doesn’t mean a “common entrance process.”
“Entrance is different from admission. The admissions will be common with the existing quotas as per Article 371D of the Constitution. Existing 15 per cent quotas will be honoured then too,” a
senior official said. However, APSCHE chairman Prof L. Venugopal Reddy said: “We are going as per the Reorganisation Act. And the argument that entra-nce is different from admissions is wrong. Separate entrance is a violation of the Act.”
Meanwhile, AP HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao couldn’t have a meeting with Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday and sources said the issue will be directly discussed in the Cabinet meet on Thursday.
