Ramchander Rao alleges ‘Urban Naxal dominance’ in State education panel

The government, he said, has “no clear plan” with schools in several rural areas facing closure and many others suffering a severe shortage of basic infrastructure. In each of the State’s 33 districts, there is at least one school with zero or fewer than 10 students. The number of active schools, he said, has fallen sharply from 5,021 in 2024-25 to 2,023 now.

He argued that the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Right to Education Act provide “clear, constructive guidelines”, whereas the State Commission’s recommendations are “controversial”. A State policy, he stressed, must prioritise the mother tongue and reflect Indian culture and values. He strongly opposed the suggestion to remove Sanskrit, calling it an ancient language integral to India’s heritage.

He also termed the proposal to abolish tribal welfare Gurukuls “highly objectionable” and charged that “proper consultations” with educationists and experts were not held during the drafting of the report.

Former Osmania University Vice-Chancellor T. Tirupati Rao urged the government to immediately fill vacant faculty positions, while former chairman of the State Council for Higher Education R. Limbadri criticised the Commission’s report as “lacking clear objectives” and “requiring urgent revision”. Educationists, student leaders, and others participated in the discussion.