YS Jagan‌ reviews on Higher Education, tells officials to enhance standards in universities

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated that the government is giving priority to the education and medical sectors, as part of which a large-scale Nadu-Nedu program was underway. He directed the concerned authorities to raise all the standards in the universities and formulate activities accordingly. CM Jagan‌ on Wednesday conducted a review on higher education at his camp office. Speaking on occasion, he said that standards should be raised to benefit the students, and the state universities should acquire a place in the top ten positions in the country. Similarly, discussions were held with the authorities on taking universities to a higher position in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

The chief minister has asked the authorities to chalk out a strategy to take the JNTU Universities (Kakinada, Anantapur), Andhra University, SV University, Padmavati Mahila University, along with IIIT to a better position in concern with infrastructure. He directed to prepare proposals to that extent and state how much funding is needed. YS Jagan further asked the officials to pay special attention to the upcoming Architecture University in Kadapa.

The chief minister further said that there should be a comprehensive study on the methods followed in the top universities. He asked to focus on the procedures to be adopted in infrastructure, teaching methods, teaching staff etc., and to recruit talented people as teaching staff in universities. Further, Jagan asked to examine the best universities' practices and policies abroad and implement them in our universities.

The chief minister has also conducted a review on the IIITs across the state. He said there are currently 22,946 students in IIITs and emphasised the importance of completing IIITs in Srikakulam and Ongole. While speaking about medical colleges, YS Jagan noted that there are only 11 medical colleges in the state so far, and the government is bringing in 16 new medical colleges. He emphasised measures followed to manage those colleges better. He opined that poor students would benefit if 70 per cent of the seats in those colleges are under the convenor quota.

The education minister Adimulapu Suresh, Special Chief Secretary to Higher Education Satish Chandra, Finance Secretary N Gulzar, State Higher Education Council chairman, K Hemachandra Reddy, RGUKT Vice-Chancellor Professor KC Reddy and others attended the meeting.