A sharp comment by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on the declining standards of engineering education has triggered a major political controversy, with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Bharatiya Janata Party accusing him of insulting the younger generation.
However, a section of political analysts has defended the Chief Minister’s remarks, saying he was only highlighting concerns over the employability of engineering graduates and the quality of technical education in the state.
Speaking at a public event, Revanth Reddy argued that the existing engineering education system was failing to equip students with even basic professional skills.
“If you ask an engineering graduate in your village to write a simple job application on a blank sheet of paper, many may struggle to do so. Yet thousands of such students graduate every year. How will they get jobs?” he asked.
He said the present engineering education system had become a “criminal waste”.
“The fault does not lie with the students alone. We have failed to teach them properly and have not equipped them with the right skills,” the Chief Minister said.
He also announced that the state government would soon launch a special programme to improve the skills of students studying in government engineering colleges.
The remarks drew immediate criticism from senior BRS leaders and former ministers K. T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao, who accused the Chief Minister of making derogatory comments about Generation Z and disrespecting engineering students.
The opposition leaders argued that instead of encouraging young graduates, the Chief Minister had chosen to demean them through sweeping remarks.
BJP state president N. Ramachander Rao also accused Revanth Reddy of insulting engineering graduates.
Supporters of the Chief Minister, however, argued that his comments reflected the harsh reality facing technical education rather than an attack on students.
They pointed to the rapid growth of engineering colleges over the past two decades, the expansion of intake capacity and fee-reimbursement policies that encouraged enrolment without ensuring educational quality.
According to this view, many institutions continue to follow outdated curricula that do not meet present industry requirements, leaving graduates poorly prepared for employment despite holding engineering degrees.
Industry experts have repeatedly highlighted the widening gap between academic instruction and employer expectations.
Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning and data science are reshaping global industries, but many engineering colleges continue to rely on outdated syllabi.
Analysts say graduates often lack practical exposure, industry-relevant technical skills, communication abilities and spoken English, making them less competitive in the job market.
As a result, thousands of engineering graduates reportedly take up gig-economy jobs or remain unemployed because they lack employability skills.
The controversy has also renewed demands for comprehensive reforms in engineering education, including curriculum modernisation, stronger industry partnerships, better faculty training and greater emphasis on practical learning.
Observers note that campus placements have slowed over the past two years, while opportunities for overseas employment, particularly in the United States, have also become more limited.
Against this backdrop, education experts say the focus should shift from merely producing engineering graduates to creating skilled professionals who can adapt to rapidly changing technologies.
