Telangana’s commitment to strengthening its education sector was reaffirmed today with the announcement of an 11.5% increase in the education budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka presented the Budget, outlining a substantial allocation of ₹21,292 crore, up from ₹19,093 crore in the previous fiscal year.
A major initiative announced includes a mega District Selection Committee (DSC) recruitment drive aimed at filling 11,062 teacher vacancies in government schools. This move aims to ensure optimal student-teacher ratios, thereby enhancing educational quality, particularly for economically disadvantaged students.
Addressing long-standing governance issues in universities, the Minister criticised previous administrations for neglecting to appoint full-time Vice-Chancellors, causing administrative chaos. In response, the government has initiated the process to appoint full-time leaders for all universities through dedicated search committees. A substantial ₹500 crore has been earmarked for university infrastructure development, with allocations for prominent institutions like Osmania University and Women’s University.
In a bid to transform Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into centres of excellence, the government announced a partnership with Tata Technologies Limited. Under this collaboration, 65 government ITIs will undergo comprehensive upgrades, introducing new courses and enhancing training capacity. The initiative, expected to cost ₹2,324.2 crores, will be partly funded by Tata Technologies Limited through their CSR initiative, with ₹300 crores allocated in the current Budget.
