HYDERABAD: With an aim to meet laboratory requirements and bridge the gap between available resources, the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) has launched T-STEM (Telangana – Science, Technology, Engineering Facilities Map) to provide students with practical experience.
The key vision of the initiative is to build a sustainable and equitable ecosystem for experiential learning by digitally mapping and managing technical and vocational lab infrastructure across educational institutions in the state.
According to TGBIE, T-STEM is a strategic digital initiative spearheaded by the government and aligned with the national I-STEM (Indian Science, Technology, Engineering Facilities Map) framework.
The Centre for Good Governance (CGG) has developed a dedicated portal for the project, with TGBIE serving as the nodal institution.
The platform enables the digital mapping and optimisation of vocational lab infrastructure across government junior colleges and other educational institutions.
T-STEM covers 22 vocational and general courses across six sectors, facilitating resource sharing between junior colleges, degree colleges, polytechnics, and universities.
It features slot booking and approval workflows for inter-institutional lab usage, lab grading standards, and feedback mechanisms to ensure quality and continuous improvement.
Krishna Aditya, Director of Intermediate Education, said, “With T-STEM, we are not just managing infrastructure digitally; we are creating a sustainable ecosystem where students across the state can engage with practical knowledge seamlessly, empowering them to excel academically.”
Dr Jyothsna Rani, Joint Secretary (Administration), TGBIE and nodal officer for T-STEM, told TNIE that under the guidance of Dr Yogita Rana, Secretary to Education, the initiative ensures no student is deprived of practical exposure.
She said, “If a junior college lacks laboratory equipment for any science subject, it can raise a requirement through the CGG-designed portal. The system will then locate nearby colleges—within a 5–10 km radius—with the required facilities, allowing students to perform practicals there. This interconnectivity extends across junior colleges, polytechnics, and universities, with sector-wise nodal officers appointed to oversee coordination.”
A trial run was recently conducted in four colleges. Students of the Computer Science Vocational course from government junior college, Kukatpally, visited Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering & Technology, while students from the Government Institute of Leather Technology practised 3D printing technology and explored the AIML dedicated graphics server at G Narayanamma Institute of Technology & Science.
These test runs provided valuable hands-on exposure and validated the platform’s functionality.
Following the successful trials, T-STEM is set to expand statewide, bridging infrastructure gaps, aligning vocational training with industry requirements, and promoting innovation and collaboration in technical education.
In the second phase, TGBIE plans to hold virtual meetings with colleges across the state to familiarise them with the initiative.
CGG will provide dedicated logins to principals and department officials for managing infrastructure data and monitoring activities through real-time dashboards.
The story is reported by Meghna Nath for The New Indian Express
