Hyderabad, Nov 11 (IANS) The government of Telangana will introduce the 10+2 education system in the state from the next academic year.
The decision was taken on Wednesday at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
He stated that reforms are being undertaken with the primary goal of serving the interests of students. He emphasised that the objective is to prepare students for the demands of the modern world by providing quality education from the nursery level through to the university level.
The Chief Minister directed officials that the education structure should consist of primary education (nursery to 4th grade), secondary education (5th to 8th grade), and senior secondary education (9th to 12th grade).
He said students should be groomed to attain complete mastery over language and communication skills by the time they complete the 12th grade. After the 12th grade, students should have the opportunity to choose subjects of their interest and become experts in those fields.
Following a recommendation by the Education Commission, the state government had decided to merge Intermediate education (11th and 12th grade) with the school education system from the academic year 2026.
However, in view of the availability of limited time for admissions and the various technical hurdles currently impeding the process of merger of Intermediate education with the general school education system, the decision was deferred.
The Telangana Education Commission had recommended the abolition of the Intermediate education system and replacing it with Class 11 and Class 12 grades – similar to the CBSE model. The commission emphasised that the new education system would significantly reduce the number of student dropouts.
During the meeting on Wednesday, the officials briefed the Chief Minister on the progress made thus far.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy noted that, on average, 40 per cent of students drop out of education after the 10th grade—a group that consists predominantly of girls, as well as children from Dalit, tribal, and minority communities.
He pointed out that dropout rates are significantly lower in institutions like Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, which offer continuous education up to the 12th grade.
He said a system extending education up to the 12th grade is already in place in 18 states across the country.
The Chief Minister further stated that, under no circumstances, should welfare hostels or residential schools in the state continue to operate out of rented buildings.
He directed officials to immediately initiate the necessary action to construct hostels and residential schools equipped with full-fledged facilities. He stated that the required funds for these constructions would be released.
The Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the ‘Young India Integrated Residential Schools’ (YIIRS) project. He directed engineering officials to accelerate the construction work and ensure that the projects are completed within the stipulated timeframe.
He also instructed officials to select top-tier agencies for landscaping, interior design, the procurement of digital equipment, sports gear, and kitchen facilities. He emphasised that there should be no compromise on quality at any stage.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also reviewed the progress of schools being constructed under the ‘CURE’ (Comprehensive Urban Redevelopment/Renewal) initiative. He expressed his satisfaction with the progress of these projects and directed officials to pay immediate, focused attention to any areas where construction is yet to commence.
He noted that following the upgrade of ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) into ATCs (Advanced Training Centres), there has been an increase in student enrolment, and all those who received training there have secured employment. He directed officials to expedite the release of funds required for the upgrading of polytechnic colleges.
–IANS
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