HYDERABAD: At a function to distribute educational kits to students, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday asserted that his government would transform Telangana into the education and sports hub of the country. He also launched a dedicated WhatsApp service to communicate with over 18 lakh students and their parents during the function at LB Stadium.
Starting Friday, students and parents across the state will receive critical information regarding School Education department services and activities directly on WhatsApp.
These updates will cover academic progress, the distribution of educational materials, scholarships, examinations, and wellness programmes.
The digital services were developed by the Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) — MeeSeva Division of the IT department.
At the function, the chief minister, alongside Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, launched the distribution of Young India student kits to 27.5 lakh students and virtually laid foundation stones for sports complexes in various districts. The Governor and the chief minister also administered an anti-drug pledge to the students.
State shoring up defences against ‘AI storm’: CM
Sports infrastructure development projects worth Rs 50.73 crore were launched across the state. This included laying foundation stones for mini stadiums and sports infrastructure development works worth Rs 36.65 crore in various districts, as well as inaugurating sports academies for boys and girls at the Gachibowli and LB Stadiums, established at a cost of Rs 14.08 crore.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister warned that the “AI storm” was threatening employment, prompting the government to launch targeted skill development programmes. The initiatives include international language training (German and Japanese), transforming ITIs into ATCs, and establishing a dedicated Skill University.
Revanth also highlighted that his government has allocated 8.5% of its budget outlay to education, with Rs 26,600 crore being spent on education alone in the 2026-2027 financial year. Spending on education was a vital investment for future generations, the chief minister added.
Services on WhatsApp
Several key educational services are already accessible via WhatsApp, including progress reports, hall ticket downloads, marks memos and examination results, historic SSC memos (83,000 available), bonafide and transfer certificates and SSC memo correction requests.
Over the past year, lakhs of students and parents have utilised these digital services, significantly reducing paperwork and the need for physical visits.
Proposed Services
Future rollouts will include additional services such as student and parent feedback mechanisms, updates on the distribution of uniforms, textbooks, and notebooks, daily attendance details, pre-matric scholarship applications, mid-day meal information, health, wellness, sports, and co-curricular updates, notifications regarding residential school welfare initiatives.
A unique feature of this campaign is the introduction of a friendly mascot, Palapitta (the Indian Roller bird). The mascot will communicate vital information and updates through engaging video messages on WhatsApp. This approach is designed to make government communication more interactive, accessible, and relatable.