Dr Rao, an alumnus of DIET Warangal himself, was appointed in January under deputation from the State Institute of Engineering Technology in Ramanthapur.
Hyderabad: After nearly three years in limbo, the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) at Neredmet, Hyderabad, is preparing to reopen. Once recognised for teacher education in Telangana, the institute lost its National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) accreditation in 2023 due to staff shortages and compliance lapses. Court intervention in March compelled a review of that decision, and the High Court’s directive has paved the way for operations to resume by 1 July 2025. “The aim is to bring back the institutes’ past glory,” says principal Dr K. Ravikanth Rao.
Dr Rao, an alumnus of DIET Warangal himself, was appointed in January under deputation from the State Institute of Engineering Technology in Ramanthapur. He explained that the institution had struggled since losing recognition. After securing the court order this year, he led efforts with the Southern Regional Committee to place 15 deputed staff, meeting the required composition across Telugu and Urdu mediums. Certificate verification has begun and the approved intake for this academic year is 100 students.
This Institute was originally founded as a basic training school more than four decades ago and it evolved into a teacher training college and was finally upgraded to DIET status in 1986. An early centre of excellence for primary teacher education, it produced thousands of qualified teachers and administrators over the years. That reputation now drives a determined revival to its past status.
On a recent tour, the campus appeared neglected. The hostel and labs have been absorbed into the Medchal court complex, while the remaining buildings are crumbling, their walls flaking and roofs in need of repair. Only one new gents’ toilet stands freshly painted among the old ones. Female sanitation remains woefully inadequate, even though women comprise 90 per cent of the incoming students.
Dr Rao said five of the original seven acres were given away and it took weeks to clear old debris and make rooms functional. Aware of the disparity in facilities for female students, he has petitioned the state government for `83 lakh in general repairs, toilets and renovations and another `40 lakh for a compound wall.
Faculty members expressed relief at the institution’s revival. ELTC educator Renuka Reddy, with 11 years at the institute, praised the principal’s efforts, saying, “He helped us a lot in getting the recognition back.” Lavanya, a veteran teacher of twenty-two years, said staff were pleased that classes would finally start on July 1, adding she hoped the institution would regain its old academic standing. Shailaja, with two and a half years on the team, insisted that infrastructure must improve and is the main need of the hour. “This is important for the female students. That will witness fewer dropouts and they form the majority of the cohort,” she added.
Dr Rao said he hoped to re-establish the academic strength of the institute by strengthening pre-service training and reconnecting with state and national level bodies such as SCERT and NIEPA. He insisted that teacher education should not be an afterthought. Alumni from DIET Warangal include educationists and administrators across the country and he believes Hyderabad’s DIET has the potential to play a similar role.
