Hyderabad: The Telangana government recently set up the Telangana Education Commission (TGEC) to possibly create a new ‘Telangana Education Policy’ (TEC). This move has raised questions among academics and educators about whether TGEC is the right body for the job.
Many university professors from institutions like Kakatiya University, Mahatma Gandhi University, and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU-H), are concerned. Some believe that a commission led by a former IAS officer may not have enough expertise to shape higher education policies effectively.
A senior faculty member from Osmania University explained that many educators are hesitant to speak out against the government’s decisions. This fear of backlash has prevented them from openly sharing their opinions or suggestions with the State Education Department or even the Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, who has asked for ideas to improve education in the state.
Some academics warn that if decisions are left to a few selected individuals, chosen by bureaucrats, it could harm the education system. They point to past incidents, such as a letter from a Class VI girl to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017, which highlighted longstanding issues in the country’s education system. The girl’s simple question embarrassed top education officials and experts, showing that bureaucratic decisions often lead to problems in the education sector.
Concerns about the accuracy of school textbooks have been an issue for a long time. In the past, in the state of United Andhra Pradesh, the history and culture of Telangana were either ignored or only briefly mentioned in school curricula.
For years, students have been taught incorrect or incomplete information. For example, history books in southern states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu mention the practice of Sati (the burning of widows), even though there is no historical evidence that this practice ever existed in these regions. This misinformation continues to be part of educational materials, reflecting how colonial-era writing styles and content continue to influence modern textbooks.
