Lokesh promises to implement ‘Thalliki Vandanam’ from next academic year

The scheme would provide financial assistance to students to pursue higher education. It would be finalised after talks with the stakeholders to formulate the modalities, the minister said while replying to questions in the AP legislative council on Wednesday.

He said that the scheme would benefit students of both the government and private schools and said more than one student from a family can benefit from the scheme.

“We are holding talks with officials from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to finalise the mode of implementation of the scheme,” he said.

Members noted that the previous YSRC government extended financial assistance in the name of ‘Amma Vodi’ worth Rs 15,000 to students. However, an amount of Rs 2,000 was used for other puposes, resulting in each beneficiary getting only Rs 13,000, they said.

The minister also said, “We would review the agreement entered by the previous government with the Educational Testing Service (India) to conduct the tests developed by the ETS (US) and to evaluate the listening and reading skills of students from Classes 3 to 9 and the speaking skills of students from Class 10 as part of TOEFL exam.”

He said that though he was not against English as the medium of instruction to students from Class 3, only a few teachers were trained to take such classes. As the TOEFL exam deals with reading and listening skills of the American accent, it would be difficult for some students to understand it. Hence, such training might not be needed for the students from Class 3, he added.