Telangana Save Education committee seeks public debate on Education Policy 2026
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Save Education Committee has requested that the state government present the recently submitted Telangana Education Commission Report for public debate before finalizing the new education policy.
Appointed by the Congress government, the Commission submitted its report, “Education Policy for Telangana-2026,” to the Chief Minister on February 26. This document is expected to guide the future of education in the state.
Addressing the media in Hyderabad, the President and Secretaries of the Save Education Committee, Prof. K. Chakradhara Rao, Prof. G. Haragopal, and Prof. K. Laxminarayana, emphasized that a policy affecting millions of students cannot be formulated behind closed doors.
“There is a long-standing tradition of commissions and committees placing their draft reports for public debate before finalizing any policy,” Prof. Laxminarayana stated. “This is not merely a procedural formality but a democratic necessity when dealing with something as fundamental as education.”
The Committee cited the development of the National Education Policy-1986 as a model of consultative policy-making. At that time, the draft document Challenges of Education was released for public discussion, and feedback was actively sought from citizens, especially parents, educators, teachers, lecturers, and students.
“That debate continued for two years,” the Committee noted in their statement. “In the light of those suggestions and recommendations, the National Education Policy was given a final shape.” They further highlighted that the then Ministry published the opinions of various associations and sections of the population in the form of special booklets, ensuring diverse voices were recorded and considered.
The Save Education Committee has formally requested that the Telangana government release the Commission Report for public review, allow at least three months for statewide debate, and finalize the policy only after incorporating feedback, particularly from parents, teachers, educators, and students.
The Committee stressed that education policy cannot be the domain of experts alone. “Parents who send their children to school, teachers who shape young minds in classrooms, educationalists who understand pedagogy, and students who are the ultimate beneficiaries, all must have a say in how they are educated,” Prof. Haragopal remarked.
This demand comes as the Congress government seeks to establish its policy direction. The Education Commission was a key electoral promise, and the government’s approach to this consultative process may influence its broader governance style.
Lakshminarayana, Organising Secretary of the Committee, concluded the statement by emphasizing that democracy in education policy must be genuine. “We have the precedent of 1986. We have the technology for wider consultation today. There is no excuse for rushing this through.”
