KARIMNAGAR: A ninth-standard student, Budida Durga Sri, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting an expansion of the SHRESHTA (Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas) programme in Telangana and assistance in securing admission to the International School of Hyderabad.
Durga Sri is currently studying at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Choppadandi mandal. She expressed concern that many talented students are unable to access reputed schools due to limited SHRESHTA coverage in states like Telangana.
“SHRESHTA aims to provide quality education to deserving students, and I appreciate the opportunities it offers. Commenced in 2022, it has created valuable opportunities for many SC students like me,” she stated.
Hailing from a modest background in Nagaram village, Manthani Mandal, Peddapalli District, Telangana, Durga Sri secured an All India Rank of 148 in the SHRESHTA entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for the 2025–26 academic year.
However, she stated that only two CRPF schools in Telangana are currently covered under the SHRESHTA scheme. “Though there are many reputed schools in the state, I am unable to study in them because they are not included in the list,” she said.