Polytechnic Colleges to Remain Under Education Department

The Telangana government has withdrawn its proposal to bring polytechnic colleges under the Labour Department (Shakti wing). It has issued GO 157, amending the earlier GO 97, and clarified that government polytechnic colleges will continue under the Education Department. However, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Advanced Technology Centres (ATIs) will remain under the Labour Department. The government has also clarified that the Young India Skill University will remain under the Education Department.

On July 3, the state government issued GO 97, renaming the Labour, Employment and Training Department as Shakti and announcing changes to its administrative structure. As part of the plan, it had proposed bringing government polytechnics, ITIs and Advanced Technology Centres under Shakti and linking polytechnic education with the Young India Skill University. The decision triggered protests by polytechnic students that continued for nearly a month. Responding to their concerns, the government formed a high-powered committee headed by K. Keshava Rao. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the government has now decided to retain polytechnic colleges under the Education Department and not merge them with the Skill University.