Telangana minister refutes charge of TRS men establishing private universities

Hyderabad: Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy on Monday refuted the allegation of Congress MLA D Sridhar Babu that the state government has permitted a few TRS men to establish private universities in the state.

While replying to the discussion on the Telangana State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill 2020, which paves way for setting up Private Universities in the state.

Participating in the debate, Sridhar Babu pointed out that instead of strengthening the Government Universities, the state government is focusing on establishing the private universities.

When he tried to take the names of certain leaders of the ruling party who have got approval from the state government to set up universities in the state, the Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy asked the member to refrain from taking the names.

Pointing out that a Cabinet Minister also got approval to start the University, he asked how a member in the Cabinet got the approval.

He alleged that the state government has not taken any steps to fill vacancies of teaching and non-teaching staff in universities and vice chancellors of many varsities in the state. He stressed the need for the government to consider fee reimbursement for poor students opting courses in the private varsities.

Replying to the debate the minister said that the sponsoring bodies of
the universities which have got approval complied with the conditions
of letter of intent and the expert committee constituted to examine
them also submitted its recommendations.

She said the process for appointment of vice-chancellors to different universities in the state has been initiated and it will be completed soon.

She told the House that the appointment of vice chancellors and recruitment to other posts were delayed because of the legal issues and the committee constituted by the government had resolved a majority of these issues.

Referring to regulating the fee structure of the private universities, the minister said the government’s representative would be there in the governing councils of these private universities to oversee the courses and fee structure.

She said these universities should obtain accreditation of NAAC and other bodies while 25 % quota to Telangana youth in the admissions was mandatory.

The minister said the rule of reservation for older students would continue in the brownfield universities, institutions that were functioning in the past and upgraded as universities, while the decision on implementing the rule of reservation in the greenfield universities, the newly developed ones, was left to the managements
concerned. The House passed the Legislation after the minister’s reply.