Polytechnic merger row: TP‑JAC pauses protest, seeks exam postponement

The Telangana Polytechnic JAC has temporarily suspended its protests against the merger of polytechnic colleges with Young India Skill University after the government formed a high-level committee. However, it warned of intensifying protests if GO No. 97 is not scrapped.

Hyderabad: Following the constitution of a high-level committee on Monday, the Telangana Polytechnic Joint Action Committee (TP-JAC) temporarily suspended its protest against the merger of the polytechnic colleges with the Young India Skills University (YISU) under the Shakti department.

However, it threatened to escalate protests if demands, including scrapping the GO MS No. 97, remain unmet.

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Speaking to Telangana Today, the TP-JAC Chairman M Nagaraju said since the government constituted a committee to hold talks, the protest was suspended temporarily. “We have been informed that the government will shortly call us for a meeting. If talks fail, we will resume protests,” he said.

As the syllabus could not be completed due to protests, the TP-JAC has sought postponement of mid-term examinations, which are commencing September 8, by a week or 10 days.

For over one week, students and polytechnics staff have been protesting the GO MS No. 97. Students opposed the move, stating that ITIs and ATCs train skilled and semi-skilled workers, while polytechnics produce diploma holders for the supervisory cadre.

They raised concerns about the practical-to-theory ratio, the proposed scrapping of ECET, through which diploma holders gain lateral entry into undergraduate programmes, and arbitrary fee hikes by the university.

The government constituted a six-member high-level committee headed by Advisor to Government (Public Affairs) K Keshava Rao. The polytechnic staff have urged the government to include one member from the AICTE to the panel.