Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday slammed the State government for its failure to provide textbooks to junior college (intermediate) students even 19 days after the academic year started. He dubbed the State government’s behaviour as irresponsible, questioning its commitment towards its slogan of “Praja Palana” (people’s governance).
“This delay is a clear indication of the government’s sincerity towards education and the future of our students,” he said.
In a statement, Harish Rao pointed out that 1.6 lakh students from poor and weaker sections were enrolled in 422 junior colleges across the State. The government’s inability to supply textbooks on time is hampering the quality of education these students receive, he argued.
The BRS legislator also raised concerns over a severe drop in admissions in junior colleges, with some of them recording ‘zero’ admissions in the first year. He urged the government to address this by strengthening intermediate education. “We demand that the government not only expedite the distribution of textbooks but also renew the contracts of 1,654 guest faculty members working in junior colleges. Further, it is essential to fill the posts in newly sanctioned junior colleges and take concrete steps to ensure students get quality education,” he stated.