OU Undergoes Quality Certification Review

The audit is being led by a BIS team from Chennai headed by U.S.P. Yadav, external auditor, and G. Venkatanarayanan, Sc-E and MSCO(S). A second team, led by R. Rajesh, external auditor, and P. Mohan, will join to examine additional operational areas.

Senior officials present included registrar Prof. G. Naresh Reddy, Vice Chancellor’s OSD Prof. S. Jithendra Kumar Naik, IQAC director Prof. Sireesha, and faculty members Dr A.S. Chakravarthy, Dr Sandhya, and Dr Ramakrishna K. The auditors also interacted with deans, principals of campus colleges, heads of departments, and administrative directors.

University officials said the audit covers systems linked to sustainability, energy use, food safety, and student services, and is part of efforts to align OU’s operations with internationally accepted quality benchmarks. ENDS

₹2.5-cr project to improve water supply in SPR Hills

HMWS&SB managing director Ashok Reddy has directed officials to complete work by Ugadi on the ₹2.5-crore feeder main pipeline project to resolve persistent drinking water problems in the SPR Hills area, particularly Borabanda and Rahmatnagar, where night-time supply has caused hardship.

Ashok Reddy said inadequate storage capacity in the SPR Hills area had earlier forced supply once every three days in some localities, with slums receiving water at night and facing low pressure. To address issues in 52 slums across Borabanda and Rahmatnagar, the government had built a 3-million-litre reservoir at a cost of ₹5.7 crore, inaugurated last May. Since then, residents have been receiving water on alternate days between 4 am and 11 pm.

To further improve supply and eliminate night-time distribution, new pipelines are being laid from the SPR Hills reservoir to Brahmashankar Nagar temple, and from the temple to the Karmikanagar auto stand.

Once completed, the project will stop night-time supply in Karmika Nagar and Brahmashankarnagar and improve pressure and reliability. The MD also instructed officials to identify other city areas where water is supplied at night and prepare plans to restrict distribution to morning and evening hours.

Students protest brutal assault in school

High tension prevailed in Madikonda on Tuesday when over a hundred students from the Social Welfare Residential School and Junior College staged a protest, accusing their principal of severe physical assault and verbal abuse.

The students, who attempted to march to the Collectorate to lodge a complaint, were stopped by police, leading to a sit-in protest on the main road. They alleged that principal Uma Maheshwari brutally assaulted 11 students during a morning session, grabbing two by their hair, swinging them around and kicking them after they fell. “She beat us mercilessly and threatened us to stand even as she kicked us with her boots,” one student told the media in tears.

Beyond physical violence, the students accused the principal of regular harassment, including the use of abusive language and derogatory remarks about caste and religion. They said her behaviour had created an atmosphere of fear, affecting their studies.

Officials from various departments rushed to the site to pacify the students. While the protesters initially demanded immediate suspension of the principal, they relented after officials assured a comprehensive inquiry and promised to submit a detailed report to the district collector.

Child development and protection officer (CDPO) Vishwaja said an on-site investigation had been conducted and testimonies recorded. “A preliminary report highlighting serious grievances and administrative lapses is being submitted to the collector. Based on further instructions, stringent legal and disciplinary action will follow to ensure justice,” she said.

The incident has sparked outrage among parents and child rights activists, who are demanding strict legal action under the Juvenile Justice Act and provisions against caste-based discrimination. Police remain deployed near the school to prevent escalation, while a departmental inquiry is expected to begin shortly.

Inter Board shifts 58 exam centres for polls

The Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) has made alternative arrangements for 58 practical examination centres that were converted into polling stations for Wednesday’s municipal elections.

Officials said permission was obtained from district collectors to shift the exams to nearby centres so that students were not affected and the schedule could be maintained. The affected centres are located in Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Adilabad districts.

The practical exams, which began on February 2, will conclude with the second spell on Wednesday. On Tuesday, exams were conducted at the designated centres without disruption.

Faculty unease over Rs 5000 PhD recognition fee

A circular issued by the research and development cell of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) seeking a ₹5,000 fee from faculty members for recognition or renewal as PhD supervisors has sparked concern among affiliated colleges.

The web note, dated January 29, invited applications from professors, associate professors, assistant professors and principals working in research centres or departments without research scholars. Applicants were asked to upload documents on the Research Scholar Information System portal and submit hard copies to the R&D Cell after paying the fee by February 13. The circular, issued “as per note orders of the Vice Chancellor,” also requires an affidavit committing supervisors to a minimum of six years of service to ensure research continuity.

Faculty members from affiliated colleges said the circular created confusion, with many unaware of prior consultation or communication on the fee requirement. “I doubt whether the process had been adequately discussed within statutory bodies of the university,” said Praneeta, a senior faculty member. Representatives said clarity was needed on approvals, procedure and rationale.

University officials have not issued a clarification, and the circular remains active on the JNTUH R&D Cell website. The issue comes amid growing scrutiny of administrative decisions affecting doctoral supervision and research governance.

A JNTU official said directorates are allowed to fix reasonable fees for specific services once approvals are in place. “Recognising research centres and faculty follows a structured process, and levying fees in this context is not unusual. The move is part of expanding the university’s research ecosystem to support quality, demand-driven research,” he told Deccan Chronicle.