Retired IAS Officer Resigns as Chairperson of Telangana Education Commission
Hyderabad: Akunuri Murali, a retired IAS officer, has stepped down from his position as the chairperson of the Telangana Education Commission (TEC), just four months before his term was set to end. Murali took on this role in September 2024.
In a resignation letter dated May 22, addressed to the chief secretary, Murali mentioned that he had fulfilled his task of preparing a detailed report on education reforms and, therefore, chose to resign.
Though Murali could not be reached for further comment, sources suggest that he is eager for the state government to implement significant recommendations from his report. One key suggestion was to regulate school fees, which have been rising unchecked. The TEC proposed that schools could increase fees by 10% to 15% every three years, but the government has yet to put this rule into action. Currently, schools are hiking their fees by as much as 20% to 50% annually.
Among the other recommendations from the TEC were plans to merge the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Intermediate boards, as well as to structure schooling from Kindergarten to Class 12 in a single setup, rather than maintaining separate institutions for junior college. Murali’s report also suggested raising the minimum passing marks from 35 to 45 and reducing the salaries of teachers in underperforming schools. The government has forwarded the commission’s report to a committee led by advisor K. Keshava Rao.
Murali boasts over 40 years of experience in government service. He has previously worked as the district collector and magistrate for Bhupalpally district and held several important positions, including Director General of Telangana State Archives and CEO of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).
