Centre sanctions 50 KVs, but TS gets none

The Union Cabinet sanctioned around 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas to various states last week, Telangana state did not get any. In the south, Tamil Nadu got four schools, AP got two schools, Kerala and Karnataka got one each.

Each Kendriya Vidyalaya benefits hundreds of students whose parents work in Central government organisations. The Telangana state has around 30 KVs.

The Navodaya school policy says that every district should have one such institute of excellence. However, after the districts were reorganised in Telangana state, many of them do not have Navodaya schools.

Asked about the Cabinet decision, Mr Naganti Narayana from the Telangana Parents Association (TPA) said, “It is discrimination to not sanction a single Kendriya Vidyalaya to Telangana state. The state is already at just above the bottom in the education development index and has poor literacy rates.”

Mr Narayana said the Centre should have taken up the responsibility of improving the educational standards but, instead, had chosen to ignore the state.

Kendriya Vidyalayas are sanctioned in defence areas, civil areas and Naxal affected areas. Adilabad, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Warangal and Khammam districts fall in the category of left wing extremismaffected areas, Mr Narayana said. These regions should get their due share of Kendriya Vidyalayas.

When it comes to Navodaya schools, the state was reorganised to 31 districts a couple of years ago. Two more districts were formed this year, the outcome of poll promises made during the Assembly election campaign last year. This took the number of districts to 33.

As per the Central government policy, there should be a Navodaya school in each district.

The state needs 21 more Navodaya schools, which the Centre has to approve.