Replace MEC with MPC, BPC groups for inter in SC Gurukulas: Minister

Vijayawada: Minister for social welfare Merugu Nagarjuna directed the officials to initiate steps to introduce MPC and BPC groups replacing MEC for intermediate students at B.R. Ambedkar Gurukulas in the state, from the next academic year.

In a review meeting held here with the officials on Monday, the minister said that there was not much patronage for the MEC group in the intermediate courses while there was more demand for groups like MPC and BPC. He added that out of a total number of 1.17 lakh seats in all Gurukulas in the state, only 1.09 lakh seats were filled while the rest remained unfilled and they belonged to the intermediate courses.

Underlining the importance of starting new courses and also job-oriented courses from the next academic year on, the minister directed the officials to start lab-technician courses as well.

He felt the need to enhance quality in teaching in the Gurukuklas and instructed the officials to initiate action against principals and other officials if they failed to discharge their duties promptly and called for more attention to be paid, especially in districts like Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Chittoor, and Anantapur.

The minister asked the officials to take steps for filling up SC and ST backlog posts, caretakers, and librarians, and felt the need to take up the issue of the revision of wages of part-time teachers.