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Education News

schools through the state’s education vises Prof. Anil Prasad,
ministry. The court granted the gov- education policy analyst at
ernment a two-week extension and the Centre for Governance
adjourned the case to November 7. Studies, Tirupati.
As the state awaits the court’s next However, the reformist
hearing, the dispute underscores a TDP government’s ambi-
recurring concern — the widening tious spending programs
gap between RTE Act provisions and are making economists
on-ground execution. nervous. Andhra Pradesh
Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai) has a debt to GSDP ratio
of over 32 percent and a
ANDHRA PRADESH fiscal deficit of 4.9 percent
Great LEAP forward of GSDP. Given the scale
of capital expenditure re-
Nara Lokesh: "cusp of a new revolution" quired for construction of
ince june 2024 when the Telugu a brand new admin capital
Desam Party (TDP) led by four- LEAP is closely aligned with the Na- city in Amravati (Rs.64,000 crore),
Sterm chief minister N. Chan- tional Education Policy (NEP) 2020 the massive Polavaram water harness-
drababu Naidu was returned to power and introduces AI-driven evaluation ing and irrigation project (Rs.56,000
in Andhra Pradesh (pop. 53 million) tools, play-based learning in early crore) and supportive infrastructure
with a sweeping majority, securing years, and digital content modules de- for the new Adani-Google $15 billion
135 out of 175 legislative assembly signed to nurture children’s creativity, AI data centre (Rs.132,000 crore)
seats, the party has prioritised educa- communication, and problem-solving in Visakhapatnam, and other sev-
tion as a cornerstone of its develop- skills. eral high-cost projects, some analysts
ment agenda. “Andhra Pradesh is pioneering a doubt the state can afford to imple-
After it was sworn in 16 months new era of education through LEAP ment its ambitious education reforms
ago, the TDP government has in- by focusing on foundational learning, and welfare programs simultaneously.
creased the state’s Budget 2025-26 global best practices, and inclusive “Ambition without fiscal discipline can
outlay for education by 6.34 percent growth. We are at the cusp of a new derail even the best policy design. The
to Rs.32,000 crore, of which a prepon- revolution, and Andhra Pradesh is LEAP plan must be carefully phased
derant Rs.29,909 crore is allocated at the right point to take that leap,” and evaluated,” warns economist Dr.
to the school education department. he said, addressing an International S. Raghav, former researcher at Na-
Moreover on August 20-21, the BJP/ Education Round Table in Melbourne, tional Institute of Public Finance and
NDA government at the Centre (with Australia. Meanwhile, the Andhra Policy (NIPFP).
whom the TDP is in alliance) allo- Pradesh State Council of Higher Edu- owever during his three terms as
cated Rs.432 crore under the Centre’s cation (APSCHE) has also introduced Hchief minister of AP, Naidu built
Samagra Shiksha (primary-secondary an integrated Quantum-AI curriculum a formidable reputation as a resource
schools development) programme to for universities to ensure that the shift mobiliser and finance minister. In-
Andhra Pradesh. toward digital education continues be- deed Naidu is widely credited with
On October 25, minister for human yond school years. having transformed the once sleepy
resource development Nara Lokesh, Moreover to roll out LEAP smooth- city of Hyderabad, the admin capital
a Cargenie Mellon and Stanford uni- ly, the TDP government is setting up of undivided AP into an ICT (infor-
versities alum and Chandrababu Nai- a comprehensive teacher training mation communication technologies)
du’s son and heir apparent, launched ecosystem. Over 200,000 teachers hub rivalling Bangalore. But unfortu-
LEAP (Learning Excellence in Andhra will receive professional develop- nately for him following a long agita-
Pradesh) to revolutionise K-12 educa- ment education via blended modules, tion, Telangana (pop. 39.6 million)
tion statewide through technology, in- micro-certifications, and leadership was carved out of Andhra Pradesh
novation, and inclusion. workshops for headmasters. The plan into a new state and after serving as
Under the LEAP framework, the also introduces performance-linked the capital of both states for 10 years
state government intends to overhaul appraisals, with teacher growth tied to Hyderabad was finally ceded as the
and re-build AP’s school education students learning outcomes. “Teacher capital of Telangana on June 2, 2014.
system on five pillars — curriculum re- development and support systems Now back in the saddle in Andhra
form, teacher training, infrastructure matter as much as training. The vision after an interregnum of five years,
improvement, digital learning, and is sound, but capacity-building at this Naidu is all set to replicate the Hy-
assessments. According to Lokesh, scale must be steady, not rushed,” ad- derabad experience with Amravati

32 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2025