Staff shortage hampers Tribal Gurukul Junior College

Metro India News | THUNGATHURTHY

The Telangana government has established Tribal Gurukul schools and colleges across the state with the objective of providing quality education and free residential facilities to students from tribal communities. However, locals allege that inadequate infrastructure and a severe shortage of teaching staff have turned some of these institutions into centres of persistent problems, affecting the quality of education. The Tribal Gurukul School and Junior College located in Thungaturthy mandal headquarters has more than 600 students, many of whom come from remote parts of the district to pursue their education.

During the 2025–26 academic year, around 80 students were enrolled in the MPC, BiPC, and CEC streams. Despite this, the institution has been functioning without lecturers for key subjects such as Physics, Economics, Telugu and others since the previous academic year. In the absence of regular lecturers, the college arranged guest lecturers to ensure that students did not suffer academically. However, even guest faculty were unavailable during the last academic year, forcing the institution to assign teaching responsibilities for several subjects to the existing school staff.

Thungaturthy MLA Mandula Samel visited the college to lay the foundation stone for development works. On the occasion, students pointed out that while the college requires 10 lecturers, only five are currently available to teach students. Concerned over the lack of adequate teaching staff, some parents have reportedly shifted their children to other Gurukul institutions. The MLA reportedly assured them that he would discuss the matter with district officials and make efforts to appoint guest lecturers. However, nearly three months into the academic session, neither regular lecturers nor guest faculty have been appointed.

Demanding urgent action, Poorna Nayak, Constituency President of Sevalal Sena, said the Junior Tribal Gurukul College has been functioning without full-time lecturers for the MPC stream for the past two years. "It is unfortunate that only five lecturers are working in a college that requires ten. The authorities should immediately appoint lecturers for vacant subjects such as Physics, Economics, Telugu, and other disciplines to safeguard the academic future of the students," he said.