Hyderabad: The Telangana Education Commission has come under criticism from senior BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao, who questioned its composition and the professional background of its members. He alleged that the panel lacked qualified academicians and subject experts capable of steering meaningful education reforms.
Responding to the Commission’s recently submitted report, Harish Rao asked Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to clarify how many members possessed direct teaching experience at the school, college or university level. According to him, academic exposure and curriculum expertise are essential for designing systemic reforms in the education sector.
He pointed out that, except for two professors from journalism and mass communication backgrounds, the committee did not appear to include members with a PhD in education or experience in preparing school syllabi, particularly in core science subjects. Therefore, he questioned whether the panel had the academic depth required to recommend structural changes.
Demand to reconstitute Telangana Education Commission
Harish Rao also objected to the appointment of a retired IAS officer as chairman of the Telangana Education Commission. He argued that administrative experience alone does not necessarily translate into expertise in pedagogy, curriculum development or child psychology. “Running offices is different from understanding teaching methodologies and classroom realities,” he remarked.
Describing the panel as an “experiment with unqualified people,” he alleged that the Congress government was risking the academic future of students. Consequently, he demanded that the Commission be reconstituted with experienced educationists, curriculum designers and subject specialists.
The state government had set up the Commission to review various aspects of the education system and recommend reforms. However, Harish Rao maintained that credible reform requires deep academic knowledge and grassroots teaching experience.
He further urged the government to disclose the selection criteria used in appointing members. According to him, transparency in appointments would help build public trust and ensure that reforms are guided by expertise rather than administrative convenience.
The issue has added a new dimension to the ongoing political debate over education policy in Telangana.
