The Government of Andhra Pradesh appointed an Expert Committee in 1966 under the Chairmanship of Sri J.P.L. Gwynn, I.C.S., former Secretary to Government, Education Department, to suggest ways and means of enriching and modernising Telugu to make it the medium of instruction and language of administration at higher levels. The Committee submitted its Report in April 1967 in which it recommended, inter alia, the establishment of a State Institute of Telugu for the above purpose.
In the meantime, the attention of the Government of India to introduce regional languages as media of instruction at collegiate and university levels was drawn. The report of the Education Commission (Kothari Commission) of 1966 had given a concrete shape to this proposal. The Government of India approved the main recommendations of the report and formulated a master plan for the establishment of State Institutes of Regional Languages and furnished the same to all the State Governments in June 1967.
Based on the report of the Gwynn Committee and the scheme formulated by the Government of India, the Government of Andhra Pradesh established the State Institute of Telugu in 1968 and named it “Telugu Akademi” (Vide G.O.Ms.No.1255 Edn., Dated June 12, 1968). The Akademi started functioning from the 6th of August, 1968.
An Eminent Educationist appointed by the Government (in the absence of the Chairperson appointed by the Government, the Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education) is the Ex-Officio Chairperson of the Board of Governors.
The members include the Special Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Finance Departments, Vice-Chancellors of the Universities in the State (established before 1988), Telugu University in A.P., four non-official nominated members who are reputed scholars, the Commissioners of Collegiate Education, Commissioner of Intermediate Education, Secretary of the Board of Intermediate Education, nominees of the Human Resource Development (Department of Education), Government of India and University Grants Commission, Chairman, A.P. State Council for Higher Education, Chairman of the A.P. Official Language Commission.
The Director of Telugu Akademi is the Member-Secretary of the Board of Governors. The Board is made responsible for the management and administration of affairs of the Akademi in accordance with the rules and bye-laws framed thereunder with powers to make bye-laws and also amend, alter, vary or modify them from time to time. The Board of Governors is therefore the highest policy-making body.
The Principal Secretary / Special Chief Secretary for Higher Education is the Chairman and four persons nominated by the Government are the members of this Academic Council. The Director, Telugu Akademi, acts as the Member-Secretary.
The Committee is empowered to prescribe the qualifications of the academic personnel, formulate projects to be undertaken by the Akademi etc.
The decisions taken by these councils, except when they are contrary to any general directions given by the Board, have to be implemented by the Director after obtaining the approval of the Chairperson of the Telugu Akademi and have to be placed before the Board at its next meeting for information.
The Vice-Chairman is the Principal Secretary / Special Chief Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department and has powers to function for and on behalf of the Chairman of the Telugu Akademi to the extent of such powers delegated to him.
The total cadre strength of Telugu Akademi is 160 out of which 43 categories of posts relate to the Academic Wing and 117 categories of posts pertain to the Administrative Wing. (As per APRACT 2014, total cadre strength should bifurcate on a population basis between two states).
There are service pensioners and family pensioners.
The Director of Telugu Akademi is appointed by the Chairman in consultation with the Government and he is both administrative and academic head of the Akademi. On the academic side he is being assisted by three Deputy Directors and on the administrative side he is assisted by four officers viz., Administrative Officer, Production Officer, Accounts Officer, Sales Officer and Stores Officer besides necessary academic and ministerial staff.
