2 months ago
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Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, successful his 2026–27 State Budget speech connected Friday (March 20), said: “A fund is not conscionable astir calculations and numbers; it is astir people. A fund is an accounting of measures that tin alteration the conditions of people’s lives.”
In different words, for the acquisition sector, a fund is astir students and teachers — an allocation that tin alteration their lives.
The sector, comprising school, higher, and method education, received ₹26,674 crore (8.22%) of the full outlay of ₹3.24 lakh crore. Last year, it was ₹23,108 crore (7.6%).
Among the large allocations, Young India Residential Schools received the lion’s stock of ₹5,000 crore to physique 105 specified schools successful Assembly constituencies and accommodate each children irrespective of caste oregon faith, dissimilar the existent system. Seventy-nine specified schools person been sanctioned, and operation is underway astatine 44 locations.
As a precedence inaugural and a large displacement successful direction, the authorities besides projected expanding pre-primary sections to 2,500 authorities schools and processing Telangana Public Schools arsenic afloat equipped campuses catering to astir 1,500 students from pre-primary to Class 12.
Osmania University received ₹1,000 crore aimed astatine making it a “world-class” instauration done residential and world upgrades, portion Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Mahila University was earmarked ₹400 crore.
Midday meals
In a first, midday meals volition beryllium served to Intermediate students successful each authorities inferior colleges, and a meal strategy volition beryllium implemented for students from pre-primary to Intermediate (₹720 crore). Additionally, ₹100 crore has been allocated for the modernisation of kitchens successful authorities hostels.
By bringing skill-related institutions specified arsenic Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs), polytechnic colleges, and Telangana Overseas Manpower Company Limited nether a Skills University, the authorities aims to make it connected the lines of JNTU. As portion of method education, 57 polytechnic colleges successful the State volition beryllium upgraded to ATCs. Mr. Vikramarka said scholarships of ₹2,000 per trainee per period volition beryllium provided astatine these centres.
While measures specified arsenic pre-primary education, the meal scheme, midday meals for Intermediate students, and skill-based scholarships person been welcomed, the wide fund allocation to the assemblage has drawn wide criticism.
“Civil society, done assorted forums and discussions, demanded a 20% allocation. The Congress party’s ain manifesto promised 15%, and the Telangana Education Commission recommended 18%. However, the existent allocation is not adjacent fractional of that. It shows that the authorities is not funny successful reviving the acquisition sector,” organising caput of the Save Education Committee K. Lakshmi Narayana said.
He added that the authorities should person astatine slightest introduced pre-primary acquisition successful a full-fledged manner, which would boost enrolment.
The Students’ Federation of India pointed to respective unaddressed issues specified arsenic reimbursement of tuition fees and described the fund arsenic lacking sincerity, detached from crushed realities, and afloat of lofty rhetoric. In protest, it adjacent called for State-wide demonstrations, including burning copies of the budget.
