ADB and NABARD to pump Rs. 8200 crore, project overall cost Rs. 21,000 crore

The ambitious Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS) project has received a major financial boost, with premier funding institutions Asian Development Bank (ADB) and NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) stepping in to support Telangana’s flagship education reform. Envisioned as a transformative leap in residential schooling, YIIRS is poised to become a role model not only for Telangana but also for other states looking to overhaul public education infrastructure.

The project plans to establish 105 state-of-the-art integrated residential campuses, each with a capacity of 2,560 students, taking the total intake to an impressive 2.68 lakh students. This scale aims to convert quality residential education from an exception into a statewide norm. According to the government, the initiative addresses a long-standing structural weakness: nearly 600 existing residential schools currently function from rented or inadequate premises, leading to fragmented standards, uneven learning environments and limited student support systems.

In a written response to a question raised in the Assembly, Dr Yogita Rani, Secretary to the Government, said that administrative sanction has been accorded for 79 schools out of the proposed 105. 

Tenders have been floated for 76 schools, and construction has already commenced in 12 campuses, primarily in constituencies represented by the Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers, including Kodangal, Madhira, Huzurnagar, Mulugu, Kollapur, Nalgonda, Manthani, Andole and Shadnagar. An 18-month deadline has been fixed for completing works at sites where construction has begun.

The funding structure reflects the scale of ambition. During 2025–26, NABARD, the State Budget and DMFT together are contributing Rs. 1,250 crore, while the overall project cost stands at Rs. 21,000 crore, with ADB funding pegged at Rs. 4,900 crore, NABARD at Rs. 3,300 crore and the remaining Rs. 12,800 crore from the State and other institutions

The government has set a clear rollout timeline: 70 schools are targeted for completion by June 2027, in time for the next academic year, while nine more campuses are scheduled for completion by June 2028.

Designed as integrated, high-quality campuses, YIIRS blends modern classrooms, advanced labs, digital learning systems, sports infrastructure, healthcare, counseling and safety mechanisms under one roof. By bringing students from different welfare streams together, the project also aims to promote inclusivity, social cohesion and equity.

Reflecting its growing national resonance, Himachal Pradesh Education Minister recently evinced keen interest after Chief Minister Revanth Reddy briefed him on the YIIRS model—signalling that Telangana’s education experiment may soon inspire replication beyond state borders.

YIIRS rollout skips key BRS bastions 

Assembly segments represented by KCR, KTR and Harish are among those where YIIRS locations yet to be identified An interesting political and administrative dimension has emerged in the rollout of the Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS) project, with several constituencies represented by senior BRS leaders yet to find a place on the project map. Assembly segments represented by former Chief Minister KCR (Gajwel), BRS Working President K T Rama Rao (Sircilla) and former Minister T Harish Rao (Siddipet) are among those where YIIRS campuses are yet to be sanctioned.

The missed list also includes constituencies represented by former BRS ministers and present MLAs such as Sabitha Indra Reddy (Maheshwaram), Vemula Prashanth Reddy (Balkonda), G Jagdish Reddy (Suryapet) and Narsapur MLA Sunitha Laxma Reddy. In contrast, Medchal MLA and former Minister Ch Malla Reddy has emerged as a notable exception, with a YIIRS campus approved in Jawaharnagar limits of his constituency.

Speaking to this paper, Malla Reddy said the administration had not consulted him on the site finalisation or sought his recommendations. He, however, chose not to raise the issue, stating that the project would ultimately benefit students of Medchal. Asifabad, represented by BRS MLA Kova Lakshmi, has also received site identification and construction approval. Officials point out that barring core Hyderabad city and GHMC areas—where availability of large land parcels is a challenge—the government remains committed to establishing 105 YIIRS campuses across the remaining assembly segments, including those represented by BRS leaders. With Assembly elections due in 2028, the Congress government is keen to accelerate progress and throw open a majority of the YIIRS campuses well before seeking a fresh mandate.