Comprehensive educational reforms in one year: Lokesh

Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, emphasised his commitment on Friday to overhaul the state’s academic sector within the next year. In a strategic review meeting with Education Department officials, Lokesh outlined ambitious plans for colleges and universities, aimed at enhancing academic standards and addressing critical gaps.
Among the priorities discussed were the urgent need to fill teacher vacancies in degree colleges and universities, revamping curricula to align with industry demands, and assessing the fee structures in private engineering colleges. Lokesh underscored Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s strong interest in elevating university rankings and ensuring educational curricula remain relevant amidst evolving industrial needs.
Addressing concerns about property divisions among higher education institutions and declining institutional rankings, Lokesh instructed officials to expedite teacher appointments statewide, ensuring transparency in college staff transfers.
The meeting also focused on upcoming Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) examinations and the historical analysis of degree college admission processes over the past decade. Lokesh criticized previous administration decisions that disrupted student welfare schemes, causing over six lakh students to face delays in retrieving their certificates under schemes like Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena.
Highlighting outstanding dues under Vidya Deevena amounting to approximately Rs 3,480 crore, the Minister urged immediate action from educational institutions to facilitate the return of students’ certificates. Present at the meeting were Higher Education Secretary Sourab Gour, Intermediate Education Commissioner Pola Bhaskar, Higher Education Council Chairman K Rammohan Rao, and AP Higher Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission Secretary Suryachandra Rao.