CMs remarks on IIT coaching irk Ramaiah

HYDERABAD: Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s remarks against IIT coaching institutions have kicked off a row. Though the chief minister is learnt to have referred to the institutions run by well-known educationist Chukka Ramaiah as an example, the statement is being viewed differently by educationists, including Ramaiah who felt that Kiran Kumar was targeting him.During his visit to the IITHyderabad for participating in a programme, the chief minister said several coaching institutions had come up to provide training to students who want to join Ramaiah’s coaching institute.“Though these institutions had earned ranks in entrance tests, students were made to rote lessons from 4 am to 10 pm everyday. I do not like such kind of education system,” he said, while addressing students of the IIT-Hyderabad.He said these institutions do not enhance the knowledge of students but only make them rote lessons.Reacting sharply to the remarks, Ramaiah said the chief minister had made the remarks at the behest of some corporate colleges which were hell bent on making him give up IIT coaching.Ramaiah challenged the chief minister for an open discussion over the training schedule at his institutes and also that of other corporate colleges as he has no belief in roting lessons for better results.Extending their support to Ramaiah in separate statements, Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar and Telangana Coordination Committee chairman A Gopala Kishan said Ramaiah is a noted educationist and has contributed a lot to higher education in the State and set a benchmark in IIT coaching.The remarks of Kiran Kumar Reddy against Ramaiah revealed his immaturity. The chief minister should immediately withdraw the remarks against Ramaiah, they said.