Polytechnic Students Protest at Dharna Chowk Demanding Revocation of GO MS 97

Polytechnic students from across Telangana gathered at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad on Thursday to stage a protest demanding the immediate withdrawal of GO MS 97. The demonstration followed more than three weeks of protests across college campuses against the state government's decision to place polytechnic institutions under the control of the Young India Skills University (YISU).

The protesting students raised slogans against the Telangana government, demanding that polytechnic colleges remain under the purview of the State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET) and the Education Department. They strongly voiced their opposition to merging polytechnics with the Shakti department, which was formerly known as the Labour department.

Student representatives pointed to a lack of clarity in the government's policy. Vamshika, a second-year diploma student at the Government Polytechnic for Women in Secunderabad, stated that while the government claims there is no merger, GO MS 97 specifies bringing polytechnics under the YISU framework. She pointed out that the administration has yet to develop such a skill framework, leaving officials and students without clear direction.

Other students raised alarms regarding job eligibility and the university's operating model. Manoj, a student from the Government Institute of Leather Technology, explained that he enrolled in polytechnic specifically to qualify for railway employment, which he fears will no longer be an option under the new framework. Fellow student Laxmikanth Reddy noted that YISU operates under a public-private partnership, raising concerns that the university will be steered by private companies focused on profits. Another student, Grunasmai, remarked that a similar exercise had already failed in Andhra Pradesh and should not be repeated in Telangana.

Political leaders, staff members, and alumni also attended the demonstration in solidarity. BRS MLA and former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy issued the government order with an eye on polytechnic lands. Urging students to maintain their protest, he promised that the BRS would raise the issue in the upcoming Assembly session and fight until the order is completely withdrawn.

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar, BRSV president G. Srinivas Yadav, polytechnic staff, and alumni also joined the gathering at Dharna Chowk to support the students' demands.