Nara Lokesh Criticizes Jagan Reddy Over Architecture University Controversy

Fast Summary:

• nara Lokesh, andhra Pradesh’s Education and IT Minister, criticized former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for mishandling Dr. YSR Architecture and Fine Arts University.
• Teh university was launched in 2020-21 under the YSRCP regime but lacked a permanent campus, full-time faculty, and regulatory approvals from the Council of Architecture (COA) for three consecutive batches.
• COA inspections on July 1-2, 2024 identified critical infrastructural and academic deficiencies; subsequent notices led to denial of approval on October 25, 2024 for batches admitted between 2020-21 to 2022-23.
• Measures taken by the current government include ad-hoc faculty appointments by November 20, 2024, approval from Higher Education Department in July 2025, ongoing plans for a permanent campus construction, and requests to APSCHE to appoint a new ADCET convener to ensure smooth operations.
• Lokesh accused the previous regime of jeopardizing students’ futures while asserting that corrective measures are now being implemented.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The situation surrounding Dr. YSR Architecture and Fine Arts University highlights systemic challenges faced in higher education within Andhra Pradesh. Alleged lapses under the previous management-including lack of regulatory compliance-underscore governance pitfalls that can severely impact students’ careers. While efforts by Nara Lokesh’s administration indicate proactive measures like temporary faculty hiring and long-term infrastructure planning are underway to rectify past issues-these solutions may still face legal hurdles due to ongoing court stays on recruitment processes.This controversy serves as a cautionary tale about prioritizing quality assurance in newly established universities-a necessity if educational institutions are expected to provide competitive advantages at national standards. Beyond immediate repercussions like COA disapprovals affecting degree validity across multiple batches-it also raises broader questions regarding policy continuity between successive governments in ensuring uninterrupted development outcomes.

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