No Politics And Party Flags In Schools & Colleges: Lokesh

State Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh met student and youth union leaders at his Undavalli residence. The unions submitted an eleven point list explaining the problems students are facing in colleges and universities.

Lokesh said the government will clear all pending fee reimbursement dues step by step. He warned private colleges not to trouble students about unpaid fees and said strict action will be taken if they do. He also said the previous government kept more than four thousand two hundred crore rupees pending under fee reimbursement and the new government will release that amount in phases.

He added that the government will support anti ragging and anti drug campaigns in all colleges. A new and simple system will also be introduced to issue student bus passes by linking them with the APAR ID.

Lokesh clearly stated that political speeches and political flags will not be allowed inside any college or university. Students can discuss non political issues on a separate platform after college hours.

He said college admissions will not be delayed this year. The schedule for next year entrance exams will be announced this year itself and exams will be held on time. When student leaders asked for direct admissions to the leftover seats in universities, he said students must at least pass the basic qualifying exam.

Lokesh confirmed that more than four thousand three hundred faculty posts are vacant in state universities. He assured that the government will start filling these posts as soon as the legal issues are solved.

Student unions also raised many demands such as restoring offline degree admissions, canceling GO seventy seven and the common PG set, reopening more than two thousand closed schools, increasing mess charges in welfare hostels, preventing hostel suicides, filling vacant posts like wardens and cooks, and conducting student union elections in all campuses. They also requested the government to lift cases filed on student leaders by the previous government.

Leaders from AISF, SFI, NSUI, PDSU, AIDUF, DYFI and other groups attended the meeting along with VMRDA Chairman Pranav Gopal and other officials.