Engineering classes from August 17: CM KCR

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday announced that a long-term strategy would be chalked out and executed for strengthening government educational institutions in the State and total cleansing of the education system. The government also decided to start the academic year for engineering from August 17.

Instructing the officials concerned to convene a meeting with educationists and experts and seek their opinion, the Chief Minister said it was decided to follow the guidelines issued by the UGC, AICTE and other such institutions in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic with regard to administration of educational institutions, conduct of examinations as also syllabus.

Chandrashekhar Rao, who held an extended meeting at Pragati Bhavan here on education-related issues in the backdrop of the coronavirus spread, said there was a need to protect academic sanctity. Examinations for degree, post-graduate and engineering final year students would be conducted as per the directions of the UGC and the AICTE, and the government would promote the others without any examination as such, he said.

The government was also preparing the schedule for combined entrance tests to ensure that students did not lose a precious academic year, he said. Stating that the government would soon take a decision on reopening of schools in the State, he said this would be based on the Central government’s stance on the issue and also on the decision taken by other States in this regard.

Declaring that the State government was keen on cleansing the existing academic system and was determined to strengthen government educational institutions, the Chief Minister pointed out that the ongoing



robbery in the name of offering quality education would only stop with improvement in teaching standards at the government educational institutions.

“After the formation of the State, we concentrated on every long-pending problem and are providing succour to people by solving every issue. The problems of power shortage, irrigation, drinking water, among other things, have been solved. The agriculture sector has bounced back, there are no incidents of land grabbing, no clubs, no illicit liquor like gudumba. Now, I will focus on cleansing and strengthening of revenue and education sectors,” he said.

The Chief Minister suggested that the officials organise a workshop to seek the opinion of experts on the present status of educational institutions and the steps to be initiated to improve the academic standards in government-run educational institutions. “After the introduction of KCR Kits, people started believing in the government-run medical system. Footfall in outpatient wards increased, thereby hitting the business of private hospitals. Similarly, strengthening of the education sector will also help people,” Chandrashekhar Rao said.

The Chief Minister said that as of now, orphaned girls were studying up to Class 10 in Kasturba schools. “The government will take the responsibility of their further education, and a policy decision in this regard will be announced shortly,” he said.

Minister for Education Sabitha Indra Reddy, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Special Chief Secretary Chitra Ramachandran, Chairman Higher Education Council Prof Papireddy, senior officers Navin Mittal, Umar Jalil and others participated in the meeting.