CM to Strengthen Government Universities, Fill All Vacant Posts

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu instructed the education department to immediately focus on strengthening government universities in the state. At the same time, he said private universities of national and international repute must be encouraged so that opportunities in the education sector increase.

Chandrababu Naidu held a review meeting on higher education at the state secretariat. He expressed serious concern that due to inefficient policies of the previous government, the entire academic sector had gone off track.

The Chief Minister directed officials to take up short and long-term programmes to bring academics back on track and achieve positive results. He wanted all vacant posts in government universities to be filled soon. He told officials to immediately take measures to resolve all legal tangles in filling up the backlog posts.

Andhra Pradesh has 48 public and private universities. There are 2,061 colleges under their jurisdiction in which 19.29 lakh students are pursuing various courses.

Chandrababu Naidu suggested that a committee of specialists be formed to visit national and international universities and recommend change in courses and curriculum as per the changing trends. Depending on the committee’s report, the curriculum can be changed from the next academic year itself. He suggested that noted industrialists be appointed as chairpersons of the board of governors of such universities.

The Chief Minister emphasised that if teaching posts are vacant, quality education cannot be imparted. He told officials to immediately issue a notification to fill these posts.

Chandrababu Naidu has decided to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) University on public-private participation (PPP) basis. Education minister Nara Lokesh was present along with officials at the review meeting.