HYDERABAD: Among the four MLAs who have a PhD degree in the Telangana assembly, three of them belong to SC, ST communities. While there are only 26 post-graduates in the 119-member house, 15 of them are from SC and ST groupings.
The three PhD holders from the SC and ST community are Mulugu MLA Seethakka of Congress, Rasamayi Balakishan representing Manakonduru constituency in Karimnagar district and Chennur legislator Balka Suman. The fourth PhD graduate, Chennamaneni Ramesh, is an upper caste MLA representing Vemulawada. Balakishan, Suman and Ramesh are BRS legislators.
Though it is not mandatory that legislators need to possess certain educational qualifications to enter the assembly portals, their educational qualification or lack of it have been the subject of intense debate in recent times.
Former AAP leader Indira Shoban said the numbers of SC, ST legislators in the assembly need to increase further. " During debates and arguments, a majority of lawmakers belonging to the marginalised sections seem to be more informed of issues afflicting the society," she said.
Many lawmakers found themselves in a tight spot when their qualifications became a point of discussion. Political analysts point out that the Constituent Assembly felt that there was no need for any educational qualification for lawmakers.
"There was a detailed debate on this. Before framing the Constitution, BR Ambedkar felt the decision should be left to people or voters and not impose any restrictions on contesting. But, times have changed and so is the demand for educated lawmakers," analyst S Ramakrishna explained.
The state cabinet has four ministers, including CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, KT Rama Rao, Puvvada Ajay Kumar and V Srinivas Goud who are PG degree holders. Nominated member Stephenson Elvis is a graduate. CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, who belongs to the SC community, is one of the postgraduate MLAs.
Another positive trend in the assembly is that six women MLAs are well educated. Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy, former deputy speaker Padma Devender Reddy and Alair MLA Gongidi Sunitha are graduates. Ajmeera Rekha and Haripriya Banoth are postgraduates. "It is the era of specialities and lawmakers should be in a position to understand many issues and take decisions for benefit of people," Ramakrishna said.
Many lawmakers found themselves in a tight spot when their qualifications became a point of discussion. Political analysts point out that the Constituent Assembly felt that there was no need for any educational qualification for lawmakers. “There was a detailed debate on this.
Before framing the Constitution, BR Ambedkar felt the decision should be left to people or voters and not impose any restrictions on contesting. But, times have changed and so is the demand for educated lawmakers,” analyst S Ramakrishna explained. The state cabinet has four ministers, including CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, KT Rama Rao, Puvvada Ajay Kumar and V Srinivas Goud who are PG degree holders.
Nominated member Stephenson Elvis is a graduate. CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, who belongs to the SC community, is one of the postgraduate MLAs. Another positive trend in the assembly is that six women MLAs are well educated. Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy, former deputy speaker Padma Devender Reddy and Alair MLA Gongidi Sunitha are graduates.
Ajmeera Rekha and Haripriya Banoth are postgraduates. “It is the era of specialities and lawmakers should be in a position to understand many issues and take decisions for benefit of people,” Ramakrishna said.
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