Education, medical sectors to be backbone to US $3 trillion target

Education and medical sectors will be the backbone to drive Telangana’s economy toward a $3 trillion target under the Telangana Rising 2047 vision. The State government is committed to make Telangana a global education hub, Minister of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, Science and Technology, Damodar Rajanarsimha said on Monday.

Discussing the government’s plan at the session themed on making the State a global education hub, he said the priority is not only to offer degrees, but to ensure that students — especially young women — become job-ready for the international market.

For this, he said girl child education and skill development are crucial: “Professional courses like nursing can help girls from poor and middle-class families to become financially independent. The government started 16 new nursing colleges last year to make their dreams come true,” he said, and added that training nursing students in German, Japanese and English languages is an important programme in that direction.

Similarly, skill education is a real asset, and education is the main weapon to achieve the aspirations of the common man, he said, adding that book knowledge alone would not suffice in the modern world. Instead, it must combine skill development and entrepreneurship. Mr. Rajanarsimha stressed that access to quality education for all remains a central aim of his government.

He noted that the State currently houses 47 universities and 1,951 higher education institutions — placing Telangana second in the country in terms of college density. He added that the State is also among the top five in the country for gross enrolment ratio.

Mr. Rajanarsimha, at the event, also outlined reforms under ‘Young India’ vision – the establishment of Young India Integrated Residential Schools and the launch of Young India Skill University to supply the human resources needed by industry. He mentioned that a dual apprenticeship programme with global firms such ALPLA, an Austrian company, has already been initiated for polytechnic students.

The summit as the platform, he urged global industrialists and academicians to join Telangana’s effort. He called on the international community to partner in the educational mission of making every citizen a skilled person by 2047. He assured that suggestions from experts at the summit will be considered in shaping the future roadmap.