Hyderabad: The Telangana government is preparing a new Education Act which will replace the Andhra Pradesh Education Act of 1982. The Education Act is the basis of the entire education system in the state.

Sources in the Telangana education department said that a new Act is being drafted by the General Adminis-tration Department. Largescale changes are also being made in the AP Universities Act. The AP Education Act was in vogue after bifurcation as the AP Reorganisation Act mandated that existing laws should continue to be in force.

Sources in the higher education department said that many substantial changes were being proposed in the Education Act. This includes cutting down of the autonomy given to educational institutions. The government is against autonomy for institutions if a substantial chunk of their expenses are borne by the exchequer.

Many deviations have been observed recently in the appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff on contract in universities.

“The government wants to exercise complete control over all educational institutions. Under the former government everyone functioned according to their own rules,” higher education department sources said.

The Chief Minister recently said the government had given away control of universities.