In a significant push to overhaul Telangana's education landscape, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has urged the Union government to treat massive planned spending on the sector as a strategic investment in the state's future. During high-level meetings in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Chief Minister pressed for central support, including a crucial financial exemption and the establishment of premier national institutions.
Major Financial Push and FRBM Exemption Demand
Revanth Reddy, who met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament, outlined an ambitious ₹30,000 crore plan to strengthen public education. He specifically requested that this proposed borrowing for the education sector be exempted from the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act limits.
The Chief Minister argued that this substantial expenditure should be viewed as a long-term human resource investment rather than routine fiscal spending. He informed Sitharaman that a major chunk of this investment, ₹21,000 crore, is earmarked for constructing 105 Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS) across all assembly constituencies.
Each YIIRS campus is designed to educate 2,560 students from classes V to XII, aiming for direct admission for 2.70 lakh students statewide. These schools, equipped with modern classrooms, labs, and sports facilities, are also envisioned as academic hubs to support surrounding government schools, indirectly benefiting lakhs more students.
An additional ₹9,000 crore is proposed for upgrading laboratories and infrastructure in junior, degree, and technical colleges, along with other higher education institutions. The Chief Minister requested that loans raised through a Special Purpose Centre (SPC) for the integrated schools be kept outside FRBM norms. The Union Finance Minister reportedly praised the YIIRS initiative and asked the state to submit details of the proposed SPC.
Long-Pending Demands for National Institutions
In his meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Revanth Reddy reiterated Telangana's persistent demands for premier central institutions. He strongly advocated for establishing an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the state, leveraging Hyderabad's status as a major hub for technology, life sciences, aerospace, defence, logistics, and advanced manufacturing.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the Union government has established 21 IIMs in 19 states and a Union Territory, creating a need for one in Telangana. He confirmed that the state government has already identified 200 acres of land within the University of Hyderabad campus for the IIM and has a transit campus ready to start classes immediately.
Revanth also pressed for the establishment of nine new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and 16 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), aligning with the increased number of districts in Telangana. The proposed KVs are for Asifabad, Bhupalpally, Kamareddy, Gadwal, Narayanpet, Nagarkurnool, Suryapet, Vikarabad, and Nirmal districts.
The JNVs are sought for districts including Hanumakonda, Malkajgiri, and Bhuvanagiri. The state government has assured it is ready to provide land and all necessary facilities for the early establishment of these institutions.
Focus on Inclusive Growth and State's Future
The Chief Minister emphasized that the state's education push is particularly aimed at benefiting students from Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minority communities, who together form a majority of Telangana's population. He positioned the entire effort as a cornerstone for the state's social and economic future.
Revanth Reddy highlighted Hyderabad's excellent connectivity and academic legacy, arguing that an IIM would expand opportunities for students from poor and middle-class families. The meetings underscore the state government's commitment to large-scale education reforms and its active pursuit of central collaboration to achieve these goals.
