HYDERABAD: Has the Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s government failed on education front? It looks so if one goes by the party’s inability, during its close to four and a half year rule, to bring any major positive improvements or qualitative changes in the higher education in the State. A look at the situation of major institutions shows that all 17 State-run universities are beset by problems ranging from faculty crunch -- lack of permanent vice-chancellors in some cases -- to poor infrastructure.
In almost all universities, close to 60 per cent of the sanctioned teaching posts are vacant. For example, in Osmania University about 769 of 1,264 sanctioned posts are vacant and in Kakatiya University 251 of 391 posts are yet to be filled. The situation is even more worse in some of the recently established varsities like Satavahana University and Palamuru University, which are being run with just skeletal teaching staff as more than 70 to 80 per cent positions are vacant.
Recruitment of teachers in State universities was delayed by the TRS government for four years and it was only this year the government gave clearance of recruiting teachers for 1,061 posts in 11 universities. However, recruitment to universities were put on hold this year across the country due to an ongoing case in Supreme Court.
None of the universities have appointed Executive Council as prescribed by the University Grants Commission. All State universities have just four to five ex-officio members from the government in namesake EC instead of 19 members prescribed by UGC and as a result important decisions in the universities are being taken with no questions asked.
Infrastructure in all universities is crumbling with no extra fund allocation by State government, apart from minimum amount of money required to pay salaries. Lack of enough hostels is a common problem in all State universities, including Osmania University (OU).
The quality of higher education can be gauged from the fact that only six State universities have been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Universities like Palamuru University, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, PVNRT Veterinary University, PJTS Agricultural University and Satavahana University have been running unaccredited. Many universities are not even recognised by UGC under section 12(B).
Poor private colleges
It is not just the State government-run higher educational institutions but even most of the private colleges are of poor standards in the State with just about 160 colleges having been accredited by NAAC, compared to more than 300 colleges in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.Osmania University Teachers Association (OUTA) President, Prof Battu Satyanarayana said: “In its four and half years of rule, the TRS has completely ignored higher education. Every UGC guideline has been violated and government institutions have been left to rot, while TRS government passed the private universities bill.”It is not just the State universities but even government degree colleges did not receive any special attention during the TRS rule.
Dr K Surender Reddy, General Secretary of Telangana Government College Gazetted Teachers Association (TGCGTA), points out that the only good thing in the last four and half years has been sanctioning of 1,214 posts of lecturers for recruitment in government degree colleges. However, recruitment is yet to be conducted for these posts.
He also said there has not been any special allocation of funds by the State government to improve quality of infrastructure. Of the 3,975 lecturer posts in the 126 government degree colleges in the State, 2,487 posts are vacant. More than 80 colleges do not have permanently appointed principals. In aided degree colleges, 1,361 of 1,686 posts are vacant.One high point was that this year government degree colleges gave admissions to about 40,000 students, the highest ever number but Surender Reddy quips that this has been mainly due to the interest taken by Commissioner of Collegiate Education to find out courses that are in demand and providing them top the students.
Positive changes
One major positive change in Telangana’s higher education, especially in Hyderabad, has been the cracking of whip by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) on substandard of engineering colleges, resulting in shutting down of about 90 engineering colleges since 2014, reducing the number of engineering seats in the State by more than 60,000.Another positive development has been the setting up of Telangana Academy of Skill and Knowledge (TASK), that has been proving helpful for students, especially those pursuing technical courses, to get internship. The State government also took initiative of establishing incubators in universities and colleges to promote entrepreneurship.
Osmania University ignored
The most shocking part of four and half years of TRS rule is the neglect of Osmania University, that played an important role in Telangana statehood agitation and is also alma mater to few law makers of TRS party who were elected in 2014. The university, which last year celebrated its centenary, had submitted to the government two proposals -- refurbishing of existing buildings at a cost of Rs 212 crores and developing student amenities with an outlay of around Rs190 crores. However, the State government sanctioned only Rs 200 crore of which just Rs 50 crore has been released till date. Not a single new building has been constructed despite promises of new hostels, amenities, buildings and centres as part of centenary celebrations. Many departments of the university are on the verge of virtual shut down with just one permanent faculty.