HYDERABAD: Polytechnic lecturers, students and members of the Polytechnic Joint Action Committee (JAC) have opposed the proposed restructuring of the Department of Technical Education and demanded the inclusion of an All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) representative in the six-member high-level committee constituted by the Telangana government to examine the future of polytechnic education.
The demand comes amid continuing protests against GO Ms No. 97, issued in June, which envisages greater convergence between polytechnic education, skill development and the industry ecosystem. Students and staff have also opposed the proposed integration of polytechnic education with the Young India Skills University (YISU).
The JAC said the committee was constituted by the state government without adequate consultation with students, faculty, employees and other stakeholders. The panel is headed by Advisor to Government (Public Affairs) K Keshava Rao.
The JAC questioned the proposed merger of technical education with YISU under the Shakti department and urged the government to retain polytechnic institutions under the existing technical education framework.
It said the inclusion of an AICTE representative was important as the proposed changes could have implications for the recognition of diploma courses, approval of institutions and students’ eligibility for higher education. The JAC also sought representation on the committee to place the concerns of teaching and non-teaching staff and students before the government.
Speaking to TNIE, Polytechnic JAC convenor Suresh Nayak said the government should examine the experience of other states before proceeding with the restructuring. He cited Andhra Pradesh where the Department of Technical Education was shifted to the Skill Development Department in 2022-23 and the arrangement was reviewed two years later.
He also referred to developments in Delhi where technical education institutions were moved towards a deemed university framework in 2021. Faculty representatives claimed the move resulted in a substantial reduction in seats and raised concerns over admissions, fee structures and academic patterns. They said protests subsequently led to a rethink of the arrangement.
The JAC also cited Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra as examples where similar administrative arrangements had come under review. It urged Telangana to study these experiences before taking a final decision.
Senior lecturers said shifting polytechnic education to a university or skill-development framework without a clear academic and regulatory structure could affect students’ progression to higher education. They also expressed concern that diploma and certificate courses without AICTE recognition could create difficulties for students pursuing higher studies and affect service-related benefits. Faculty members urged the government to retain polytechnic education under the technical education and training framework while creating a separate mechanism to strengthen industry-oriented skill training.
The JAC plans to approach the AICTE and the All India Federation of Polytechnic Teachers’ Organisations seeking clarity on the proposed changes.
Meanwhile, students and polytechnic staff have been protesting for the past week against GO Ms No. 97. Students said ITIs and Advanced Training Centres (ATCs) primarily train skilled and semi-skilled workers, while polytechnic institutions produce diploma holders for supervisory-level technical positions.
