Former MLC K.S. Lakshman Rao Slams Andhra Pradesh Government Over Education Neglect
Vijayawada, 6th September 2025 -K.S. Lakshman Rao, a former member of the Legislative Council (MLC), has strongly criticized the TDP-led coalition government in Andhra Pradesh for what he considers a failure to live up to the promises made to the public a few years ago regarding education reforms. Talking at a protest by the Student Federation of India (SFI), he said the ruling alliance is failing the students by ignoring the fee reimbursement dues and public universities and letting welfare hostels go down.
The comment comes at a time when student organizations are intensifying protests across the state, demanding immediate intervention from the government to address pressing issues in higher education. The statements of Rao and the demands raised by the SFI imply the students’ and their parents’ growing frustration with government inaction.
SFI Protest Highlights Broken Promises
During the Dharna Chowk protest in Vijayawada, Lakshman Rao recounted how the Minister of Human Resource Development, Nara Lokesh, during his Yuva Galam padayatra, had assured that all the fee reimbursement dues would be cleared immediately after the TDP came into power. Those promises now sound like empty words with further accumulation of dues, adversely affecting thousands of students, said Rao.
The SFI march started on Besant Road and culminated in a sit-in at Dharna Chowk at which the activists vented their grievances. The student leaders accused both the Central BJP government and the state’s TDP government of making higher education unaffordable for poor and middle-class families.
One of the urgent concerns raised was the pending reimbursement dues of ₹6,400 crores. Due to government delays in payments, many college administrations have withheld students’ hall tickets and certificates, leaving them in limbo both academically and in terms of career prospects. Rao and SFI leaders adamantly argued that this directly undermines the state claim of supporting student welfare.
Further worsening the scenario, there were reports of welfare hostels intended to provide affordable housing for underprivileged students being “in a dilapidated condition.” No remedial measures against such a scathing observation from the Andhra Pradesh High Court regarding the absence of even basic amenities have seen the light of day. The cost of meat and cosmetics should be increased, they demanded, since it had no commonality with the rising cost of living.
Institutional Vacancies and Policy Concerns
Besides these financial issues, the SFI elaborated on many structural problems plaguing the education sector in the state. Key vacancies, such as vice-chancellors and professors, in several universities are alleged to have interrupted the academic process and governance. The protestors argued that these vacancies directly impair the quality of education in the state, as well as the ability of the state to attract and retain students in public universities.
Further, they announced fears concerning the G.O.s 35, 36, and 42, which, according to them, threaten the very existence of aided institutions. The student leaders called for these policies to be recalled to safeguard the long-traditional education support systems of the state. Furthermore, they demanded that students of aided schools should be given free textbooks and included within the ambit of the Mid-Day Meal scheme, the same as their counterparts in government schools.
Educationists argue that the current discontent does not revolve merely around dues or facilities but also entails the gulf of trust. Andhra Pradesh has long established itself as an educational hub in South India, giving birth to most of India’s IT workforce. However, systemic neglect is endangering this reputation. Without timely reform, the exodus of students to alternative states or private institutions will further threaten this hard-earned brag.
Crackdown on Student Protest Raises Concerns
The police clearing SFI activists from Dharna Chowk was one more instance of governmental high-handedness, alleged student leaders, who added that instead of listening to real concerns of students, the administration resorted to force and detention.
SFI demanded immediate release of the detained activists, warning that if their demands were not met, their protests would escalate into a statewide movement. “If the government continues to ignore students, our agitation will only grow stronger,” proclaimed the leaders.
In fact, this scenario signals the rising tensions between the student bodies and the state government. Providing that proper and timely actions are not undertaken, analysts consider education to provide a new fault line in Andhra Pradesh politics, with far-reaching electoral consequences.
Conclusion
The unfolding crisis demonstrates the capacities Andhra Pradesh is faced with in balancing fiscal priorities against social commitments. While the TDP government had promised sweeping reforms, the piled-up dues, vacancy of posts, and decrepit infrastructure paint a horrifying picture for the students. As SFI and other organizations keep the flame of agitation alive, the ability of the government to restore confidence or wither into utter dissension in the education sector lies ahead.
