BRS warns govt against attempts to weaken Gurukul schools

Former Minister and senior BRS leader Koppula Eshwar warned the State government against any attempt to weaken Gurukul schools (residential welfare schools) in Telangana, which provide quality education to poor students.

He said the BRS would launch State-wide agitation against any such attempts. Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan here on Wednesday, Eshwar pointed out that many students from disadvantaged backgrounds rely on these schools for higher education and better opportunities.

He highlighted the challenges faced by SC, ST, BC and minority students in accessing quality education. In the name of reforms, the former Minister stated that Chief Minister A Revanth



Reddy was attempting to weaken these schools, calling it a conspiracy to undermine educational opportunities for the poor.

He stated that while the residential welfare schools were first established by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1976, former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao took it to next level by establishing 619 new residential welfare schools during the BRE rule.

Thus, the total number of residential welfare schools shot up from 298 schools in 2014 to 917 in 2023. Similarly, the total number of teachers recruited in these institutions surged from 3,575 in 2014 to around 17,000 teachers by 2023, to provide quality education to the poor students especially in rural areas.