HRD Minister Lokesh Directs Infrastructure Upgrades and Biometric Attendance in Schools

Nara Lokesh, the Human Resource Development Minister, issued directives during review meetings with education officials to enhance infrastructure in government schools and modernize attendance systems in higher education. He instructed that basic infrastructure tasks, such as repairing buildings, providing drinking water, and installing toilets, be assigned to School Management Committees (SMCs) for speedy completion. The minister emphasized achieving at least 3-star infrastructure levels across all state schools, with 5-star facilities targeted for the 60 schools having over 1,000 students. Officials reported significant funding requirements for classroom construction, prompting Lokesh to order immediate fund mobilization from various departments. Additionally, he mandated the strict implementation of face recognition-based attendance in higher education institutions starting from the upcoming academic year. The minister also focused on reducing dropout rates to zero and increasing admissions in government schools. He reviewed guidelines for new private junior colleges and proposed honoring high-achieving government college students under the 'Shining Stars' program, highlighting their competitive performance against private institutions.