Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana's statements on Thursday, July 13, after he released the provisional selection list of students for four IIITs in Vijayawada, sparked a political debate. The minister made sharp comments on the neighbouring state's education system, which ruffled the feathers of ministers from Telangana who were present at the event.
Satyanarayana stated that the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) examinations witnessed copying, question paper leak and subsequent arrests, adding that the Telangana government was not even in a position to take up the transfer of teachers, as mentioned in a report by The New Indian Express.
“We cannot compare one state with others. Each state has its own policies and line of thinking. I am not commenting on any state, but only saying the education sector, be it in undivided Andhra Pradesh or the present state, has always been a model, that is looked upon by others,” he asserted.
Retaliating, Telangana Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs V Srinivas Goud said that being a minister of a state which does not even have a capital city, Satyanarayana should not comment on such a manner. "It is better for him to know how many scams the APPSC (Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission) was involved in the past. Botcha should refrain from making such provocative comments,” he advised.
Another Minister Gangula Kamalakar sought to know if the education department of Andhra Pradesh had managed to win even a single award. “Telangana has surpassed Kerala in education,” he claimed.
“We take exception to the remarks of Botcha Satyanarayana on the Telangana education system. It should be noted that even the Centre is all praise for the Telangana education system. In the undivided Andhra Pradesh, there were only 298 residential schools. The education system was never good in the undivided state. Now, Telangana boasts of having 1,019 residential schools with world-class infrastructure and standards, where 6,75,000 students are studying,” Gangula added.
"On each student, the Telangana government is spending Rs 1 lakh and in comparison, Andhra Pradesh has only 308 residential schools, providing education to a mere 25,000 students. It was the Telangana government, which unearthed the TSPSC question paper leak scam as there is no scope for any lobbying in the state. Andhra leaders should hang their heads in shame on seeing the development of the education system in Telangana," he remarked further, as per TNIE.
