Polytechnic education overhaul focuses on industry skills

Hyderabad: The Telangana department of technical education has introduced a major overhaul of the polytechnic curriculum under the C-26 revision, bringing sweeping changes across all 25 diploma branches in govt and private polytechnics. The revision includes mandatory six-month industrial training and the introduction of emerging technology modules to improve industry readiness among students.

Commissioner of technical education A Sridevasena announced the changes on Monday, calling it a significant restructuring aimed at aligning diploma education with evolving industry needs. The curriculum was developed in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tata Technologies and other industry partners.

Under the revised structure, outdated content has been removed and interdisciplinary learning introduced across all branches. Regardless of specialisation, diploma students will now study Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and machine learning, and entrepreneurship.

To meet demands of emerging sectors, 10 new diploma programmes will be introduced from the 2026–27 academic year, including aircraft maintenance, advanced manufacturing technology, automation and robotics, and semiconductor technology.

The state currently offers 18,060 seats across 111 polytechnics, with 4,200 new seats added this year. A key feature of the revision is mandatory industrial training in the final semester. Since its launch on May 11, 4,672 students have been placed with 202 industry partners across sectors such as manufacturing, railways, defence, healthcare, IT services and construction.

According to officials, 106 students are receiving stipends of up to Rs 18,000 a month, while 905 are earning between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. To support students without stipends, the state has created a Rs 30-crore corpus fund. Simultaneously, nearly 1,000 faculty members are being upskilled at institutions such as IIT Hyderabad, CDAC and NITTR Hyderabad to adapt to the revised curriculum.

“The reforms are aimed at making diploma education more industry-oriented and improving employability,” Sridevasena said.