What is ailing higher education in Telangana?

Hyderabad: Even after holding postgraduate and doctoral degrees, Telanganites are seen battling and struggling for better work and pay.

Moreover, it's astonishing that a State like Telangana which houses several big universities including Hyderabad Central University and Osmania University fails to produce students who stand out at national and international levels.

The several reasons behind the hesitant nature of students are said to be reluctance to experiment, excessive political and bureaucratic interference and financial aid.

Its painful to see how students come from villages and live in hostels for attainting better qualification and life, despite all the taken hardships students in Telangana cannot even speak one proper English sentence.

A senior faculty member from the Humanities stream of Osmania University said, "It is a common sight visible from decades now, that students are seen at one or the other library, coaching centres. Staying in private hostels preparing and waiting for the State government to release job notifications."

Speaking to The Hans India, Prof G Haragopal, a visiting professor to several state and national higher education institutions said, irrespective of what subject one studies, it is lack of training in logic and sequence to fine-tune and sharpen the students' minds hitting hard the academics in Telangana.

He said, for example, students studying B Tech Computers in the IIIT, Hyderabad can also get M S in Social Sciences, as part of the dual-degree programme. Students can choose to go ahead either in the technical or social science streams.

Similarly, the National Law School of Indian University (NLSIU), in Bengaluru is offering M.S in Public Policy. "Doctors, lawyers, engineers, journalists, chartered accountants and others are taking the course. Besides, the students come from Delhi, Odisha, Bihar and all other parts of the country." But, "I have not seen anyone from Telangana. It shows the situation of academics in the State," he said.

Explaining further he said, how a medical doctor took the course to pursue a career in health journalism. And, it shows how people are trying to explore the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary areas to advance their careers. However, even if one studies a single subject, yet they can excel. For example, one among the prominent such persons in Telangana was Balagopal. Prof Haragopal said, he studied mathematics, entered into literary criticism, social inquiry and analysis. An opening cricket batsman in his college had ended up as practising lawyer after studying law.

Addressing the problems, the professor said that the main problem is a single-subject taught narrowly at the State universities failing to enthuse students. To think about interdisciplinary pursuits, and to become competitive in the national job market.

For example, Central University in Hyderabad allows students to take extra-departmental courses or papers from other schools. But, the faculty in the State universities are not showing any inclination or interest to give a chance to the experimentation.

Faculty in universities remain the same for years now

Thanks to those same age-old faculty who are deaf to innovations and growing technology, following which the teachers fail to maintain transparency with students.

Lack of a holistic vision to the universities covering all the fields of study and research is aggravating the situation even more. Lack of funds are affecting libraries, labs; giving no chance for experimentation or creative atmosphere to gain ground in the academic lives on campus.

Pointing out an example for the sorry state of higher education, Prof Haragopal said that the allocated Rs 5 to Rs 6 crore to Palamuru University annually can never be sufficient to run a good high school.