Telangana to Get New NextGen Education Policy in Dec, Says Revanth

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday announced that the state government would unveil a new 'Telangana Education Policy’ (TEP) on December 9 as part of the 'Telangana Rising-2047' vision document, introducing sweeping reforms from the school level to universities. He said that the proposed TEP would act as a model for the entire country and would focus on blending knowledge, language, and skills to ensure holistic development of students.

The Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat with education experts, teachers, professors, intellectuals, and senior officials to gather inputs for the draft policy.

He said Telangana’s education system must be transformed to meet present challenges and future needs, with the ultimate goal of eradicating poverty through education. While earlier governments had attempted poverty reduction through land distribution and welfare schemes, Revanth Reddy stressed that in present times, education remained the only sustainable weapon for empowerment.

Highlighting the mismatch between employment opportunities and skill levels, Revanth Reddy pointed out that although over 1.10 lakh engineering students graduate from the state each year, only around 15 per cent secure jobs due to lack of adequate training.

He said the new education policy would revamp curricula, strengthen technical institutions, and align teaching with modern industrial and global employment requirements. He noted that despite allocating over `21,000 crore annually to education, nearly 98 per cent of funds are spent on salaries for staff, leaving little room for infrastructure or innovation.

The Chief Minister observed that government schools are losing ground to private institutions, particularly because private schools admit students from nursery level while government schools begin at Class I. Parents prefer private institutions for the care and discipline they provide. Revanth Reddy said the TEP would address this issue by instilling confidence among parents and ensuring that public schools regain their lost credibility.

The Chief Minister underlined that his government had already initiated teacher recruitment and transfers to improve classroom focus, while also appointing vice-chancellors to revive the academic and intellectual vibrancy of state universities such as Osmania and Kakatiya.

Revanth Reddy lamented that falling standards and lack of opportunities were pushing students towards drugs and despair, and stressed that education should combine academics, sports, and skill training to build healthy and productive youth.

The Chief Minister also announced reforms in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) by replacing outdated courses with programmes suited to modern industry. He cited the creation of the Young India Skill University as an example of the government’s focus on skill development.

He said the TEP would encompass school, higher, technical, and vocational education, with sub-committees of experts working on each domain to draft the best possible framework.

Revanth Reddy said that his government would treat education spending as investment rather than expenditure, and had urged Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to exempt education loans from FRBM limits. He proposed setting up a special education corporation to fund infrastructure and quality improvements. Stressing inclusiveness, he said the policy must avoid segregating students on caste or community lines and instead promote equality and common opportunities.

Prominent educationists and intellectuals including TEP chairman K. Keshava Rao, former IAS officers, university professors, and industry leaders participated in the meeting and presented their suggestions. They stressed that teaching should remain student-centric, with technology acting as a supplement but not a substitute for teachers. Experts also called for the policy to shape not just employable graduates but responsible citizens.

Revanth Reddy said that the new education policy would guide Telangana’s development for the next 25 years and would stand as a beacon for national reforms. He appealed to stakeholders to contribute ideas, assuring that the government would not hesitate to make any investment necessary to transform the state’s education system.