Why Andhra Pradesh has named a scheme for schoolkids after Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

The Telugu Desam Party-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh has launched a scheme to provide kits to school children. The scheme has been named the ‘Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra Kits’. The government has said that in choosing the name of the former President, academician and philosopher, it is bucking the trend of naming schemes for schoolchildren after political leaders, and wants to keep students above politics. Radhakrishnan served as the country’s second President, from 1962 to 1967. His birthday on September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day. ## What is the Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra Kits scheme? The state government is providing schools kits to over 35 lakh school-going students free of cost. The government spent Rs 953 crore to procure the kits. The Quality Council of India (QCI) partnered with the government to conduct three-layer quality checks on all the materials used in the making of the kits, officials said. Designed to ensure an equal start for every student, the kits include uniforms, shoes, belts, socks, school bags, textbooks, notebooks, workbooks, and Oxford dictionaries. The government has also borne the stitching charges — Rs 120 for Classes 1–8 and Rs 240 for Classes 9–10 — ensuring uniforms are ready to wear. With a total budget of Rs 953.71 crore — Rs 778.68 crore from the state and Rs 175.03 crore from the Centre — each kit is valued at approximately Rs 2,279. HRD and IT Minister N Lokesh Naidu said that under the previous YSRCP regime, the kits were branded as Jagananna Vidya Kanuka and featured images of the then Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. This was widely criticised for exposing schoolchildren to political influence and using government material to do political publicity, he said. The current kits are free from any political colors, symbols, or logos. What is inside the kit? Each student receives: 1. Three sets of uniforms in new colors (olive green pants/gowns and light yellow-green striped shirts) 2. One pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a belt, and a school bag 3. Textbooks, workbooks, and notebooks 4. An Oxford English-English-Telugu Dictionary for Class 6 students 5. Pictorial dictionaries for Class 1 students 6. Dictionaries in regional/minority languages like Urdu, Tamil, and Odia where needed. Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More