Universities Need To Keep Adapting: Officials

Hyderabad: More buildings, laboratories, or even funding cannot help Telangana universities, unless there is a leadership overhaul that busts bureaucratic barriers, officials opined at a review meeting.

Vice-Chancellors of 12 state universities gathered at Osmania University (OU) for a review meeting on Saturday. Senior officials briefed them on the need to adapt a day earlier.

“Leadership must go beyond management. Vice-Chancellors must be able to lead from the front, dismantle bureaucratic barriers and make institutions function as cohesive academic communities,” said Advisor to the Chief Minister K. Keshava Rao, urging a mindset shift to match rapid changes in higher education.

Held at OU’s Centre for Distance Education, the meeting focused on realigning universities with the government’s education vision, NAAC preparedness, and infrastructure planning. Each university presented progress reports and proposals for development.

Education secretary Dr Yogita Rana called the sector “crucial to achieving Telangana’s trillion-dollar economy”. “The government will stand by you with resources, but there must be accountability and urgency,” she said, adding that legacy institutions like Osmania and Kakatiya must reclaim their national standing.

OU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mogularam Kumar said the university had completed all Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) requirements for the NAAC review and is targeting a strong band in international rankings. He thanked the government for promptly clearing OU’s budget proposals.

Commissioner of Collegiate Education Sridevasena, IAS, advised Vice-Chancellors to submit detailed project proposals and ensure regular follow-ups. She also recalled her father’s tenure at OU, noting that a gold medal was instituted in his name.

Professor Balakista Reddy, chairman of the Telangana State Council of Higher Education, called for better ties with the industry and greater focus on quality over quantity. “Your feedback today will shape upcoming education strategies,” he said. The meeting was one of the first few full-fledged reviews of public universities under the new government.