The Telangana government has brought Young India Skills University (YISU) and government polytechnic colleges under the administrative control of the Higher Education Department, amending an earlier order that had placed them under the Department of Skill, Human Capital and Knowledge Training Initiatives (SHAKTI).
Under the revised arrangement, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs) will continue under SHAKTI, while their curricula will be regulated by YISU.
The decision follows recommendations by a high-level committee constituted to examine the restructuring of polytechnic education and address concerns raised by students, lecturers and other stakeholders.
The June order had proposed bringing government polytechnics, ITIs and ATCs under the YISU framework. The move triggered protests over the future of diploma courses, the role of the State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET), staff service conditions, fee structures and opportunities for students to pursue engineering degrees through lateral entry.
The Telangana Polytechnic Joint Action Committee (TP-JAC) conducted a 35-day non-cooperation programme before withdrawing it in September following discussions with the committee. The panel, headed by government adviser K Keshava Rao, held consultations with students, parents, lecturers and representatives of the polytechnic fraternity.
The committee examined the proposed changes to the administrative and academic framework, including the concerns surrounding the existing diploma system and students' progression to higher education.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had earlier assured students in the Legislative Assembly that the government would not privatise polytechnic colleges and that the three-year diploma course would continue. He also said students would retain the opportunity to enter engineering courses through lateral entry and that staff job security would not be affected.
The revised order also directs YISU to obtain the necessary approvals from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other competent authorities to expand its academic programmes.
Established under the Young India Skills University (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2024, YISU was set up to develop industry-oriented skills through specialised courses and partnerships with employers. The state government had proposed integrating technical education and skill training with the university to improve industry exposure, internships, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.