Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Tuesday said the proposed Telangana Education Policy must prioritise improving literacy and guide students toward higher education. He also criticised the state government over what he described as ideological influence in the draft policy.
Rao made the remarks at a round-table conference titled “Telangana Education System–2026.” The Forum for Nationalist Thinkers organised the event at the PGRRCDE Mini Conference Hall in Osmania University.
The BJP leader alleged that the State Education Commission included individuals influenced by “Urban Naxal and Maoist ideologies.” Therefore, he raised concerns about the direction of the Telangana Education Policy currently under discussion.
Rao also accused the Congress government of attempting to introduce Leftist ideas through the proposed policy. According to him, such an approach could harm students’ academic development and future opportunities.
He further said the education sector had already suffered neglect during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. However, he argued that conditions had not improved under the present Congress administration.
Rao highlighted several challenges facing the state’s education system. For instance, he said qualified B.Ed teachers were not receiving adequate employment opportunities. In addition, delays in salary payments and promotions had affected teacher morale across institutions.
He also claimed that many government schools in rural areas were closing due to low enrolment and weak infrastructure.
Concerns raised over Telangana Education Policy and school decline
Citing official figures, Rao said the number of functioning government schools had dropped sharply. According to him, the total declined from 5,021 schools in the 2024–25 academic year to about 2,023 at present.
He added that several schools across Telangana’s 33 districts currently had fewer than 10 students. As a result, he warned that the education system required urgent structural reforms under the Telangana Education Policy.
The BJP leader also blamed the state government for the deaths of 44 students in Gurukul schools due to food poisoning. He demanded accountability and stronger safety measures in residential institutions.
Referring to the Centre’s National Education Policy and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, Rao said both frameworks provided clear guidelines for reforms. Therefore, he urged the Telangana government to implement them effectively in the state.
Rao also emphasised the importance of teaching in the mother tongue. At the same time, he stressed that Indian cultural values should remain part of the education system. He strongly opposed any proposal to remove Sanskrit from the curriculum.
Former Osmania University Vice-Chancellor T. Tirupati Rao also addressed the conference. He said the commission’s recommendations appeared to create confusion rather than strengthen the system.
He pointed out that nearly 80% of faculty posts in state universities remained vacant. Consequently, he urged the government to fill those positions immediately.
Former Telangana State Council for Higher Education chairman R. Limbadri also criticised the draft report. He said the recommendations lacked clarity and required urgent revision.
Participants at the meeting stressed that teachers serve as “nation builders.” They called on the state government to implement the National Education Policy without delay.