TPJAC wants polytechnics within govt. technical education framework

The Telangana Polytechnic Joint Action Committee (TPJAC) has called for a thorough review of GO Ms. No. 97, specifically addressing the proposal to incorporate existing Government Polytechnic Colleges into a Skill/Engineering University framework. The TPJAC advocated retaining these colleges within the Government Technical Education framework, expressing concerns about the potential impact on students' academic recognition, affordability, higher education prospects, employment opportunities, and institutional stability.

Polytechnic education, according to the TPJAC, is crucial for generating skilled technical manpower for both the State and the nation. The committee urged the government to clarify the recognition of qualifications, statutory status, regulatory approvals, accreditation of technical programs, future opportunities for diploma holders, employment and career progression, protection of current students, fee structures, hostel and welfare support, the impact on female students, and the preservation and utilization of existing government infrastructure before implementing any significant structural changes.

The TPJAC requested a clear fee-protection mechanism in case colleges were placed under a new university structure, ensuring students would not be forced out of technical education due to escalated fees. They also demanded enhanced hostel and welfare support. The TPJAC did not oppose industry involvement in internships, apprenticeships, skill development, and placements.

They believed modernization could occur within the current Government Technical Education framework by upgrading Polytechnic Colleges with advanced laboratories. The TPJAC highlighted that the Government Polytechnic system had already experienced academic and digital transformations through curriculum revisions, technology-assisted examinations, digital evaluations, online administrative processes, industry collaboration, and student-centric initiatives.