HYDERABAD: CPM State Secretary John Wesley addressed a letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Tuesday, highlighting the pressing infrastructure deficiencies in Telangana’s 15 universities. He urged the government to allocate ₹5,000 crore in the upcoming budget for the development of these institutions, with a special provision of ₹1,000 crore dedicated to Osmania University.
Wesley recounted his recent visit to Osmania University, where student union leaders and research scholars detailed various challenges. A significant concern is the unfilled positions of professors, assistant professors, associate professors, and non-teaching staff, leading to compromised educational quality. The prolonged reliance on contract lecturers further exacerbates the situation.
The letter also shed light on the adverse effects of funding shortages, resulting in inadequate laboratory equipment, substandard hostel and mess facilities, and insufficient sports and other essential infrastructure. Alarmingly, incidents have been reported where hostel ceiling slabs have collapsed, causing serious injuries to students. Despite its century-long legacy, Osmania University lags in securing NAAC accreditation.
Wesley called for the government’s focused intervention to enhance university infrastructure. He emphasized the urgency of protecting university lands from encroachment and advocated for the strict implementation of Supreme Court guidelines to prevent harassment of female students. Additionally, he proposed transforming all universities into skill development hubs, rather than limiting this role to a single skill university, to better equip students for the evolving job market.
This appeal underscores the critical need for comprehensive reforms and investments to uplift the state’s higher education landscape.
