AP Govt Committed to Strengthening Universities, Says Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education and IT, Nara Lokesh, affirmed the state government's commitment to strengthening universities. Responding to questions from members in the Legislative Council regarding student enrollment, staff vacancies, and university development, he acknowledged that there are indeed vacancies in universities and assured that all of them would be filled this year.

Lokesh stated that the recruitment process would commence as soon as the One-Man Commission report is received. He also emphasized the importance of industry collaboration in education, noting that experts from various fields should be involved in teaching as Professors of Practice. Additionally, he highlighted the need for accreditation, quality assurance, faculty development programs, capacity building, and international exposure visits for faculty members.

He further announced plans for digital and infrastructure development in universities. The government has allocated ₹2,000 crore in the budget to strengthen public universities, which will be used for infrastructure and research. The central government is also providing funds under various schemes, which will be integrated into state-level programs.

Addressing the issue of appointments, Lokesh noted that certain recruitment matters are pending in court, and the government will consult with the Advocate General to resolve them. He revealed that out of 4,330 sanctioned posts in universities, only 1,048 have been filled, leaving 3,282 positions vacant. The government is committed to filling these vacancies.

Regarding rankings, Lokesh stated that Andhra Pradesh currently holds the 9th position in the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) rankings and aims to rise to the 3rd position. He also expressed the goal of placing at least one public university from the state in the QS World University Rankings' top 100.