‘Real change in higher education can be brought through Degree education, and that’s 100% possible’
The Telangana Council of Higher Education is implementing reforms to modernize degree education with industry-oriented courses despite low enrollment numbers. Officials remain optimistic that shifting focus toward skill-based programs like AI and FinTech will revitalize the relevance of traditional degree education.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing struggle to align higher education curricula with modern industry demands and the challenges of declining interest in traditional degree programs.
The Telangana Degree Online Services (DOST) admissions for the 2026–27 academic year were expected to reflect the Telangana Council of Higher Education’s (TGCHE) ambitious reforms, including revised curricula, industry-oriented courses, and a greater emphasis on skills and employability. Yet, of the nearly 4.37 lakh undergraduate seats on offer, only about 1.71 lakh have been filled after multiple phases of counselling across more than 900 colleges, raising questions about the future of conventional degree education and the impact of the reforms.
Undeterred by the numbers, TGCHE Chairman V. Balakista Reddy, an academic and expert in International Law, remains optimistic. “Change can be brought, and Telangana will become a role model in higher education in the country,” he says. In an interaction with The Hindu , he discusses the reforms, the admission trends, and the road ahead.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in