Hello Amma, Nanna!

1. AP launches pay phones in MJP Gurukul schools for student–parent calls.
2. Six telephone booths to be installed in each selected school.
3. Students allowed two hours daily: morning and evening slots.
4. Smart card system ensures calls only to parent-approved numbers.
5. CCTV surveillance prevents misuse; project at no cost to government.

Thousands of BC students in Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (MJP) Gurukul Schools across Andhra Pradesh will soon be able to greet their parents daily with a simple “Hello Amma… Nanna… How are you?” The Andhra Pradesh government has launched an initiative to set up pay phones in all 110 Gurukul schools for BC students, helping them stay connected with their families while living away from home in hostels.

Each school will have six telephone booths, designed similar to those in corporate educational institutions. BC students can talk to their parents for two hours a day—one hour in the morning before classes and another hour in the evening. This arrangement aims to ease parental anxiety and reduce the emotional stress faced by children staying far from home.

BC Welfare Minister S. Savita will inaugurate the first telephone boxes today at the Roddham MJP School in Penukonda constituency. More than 40,000 BC students are currently enrolled in these Gurukul institutions. Officials believe that regular phone calls will provide emotional support, improve students’ confidence, and help them focus better on academics.

The system will operate through smart cards, similar to ATM cards, which can be recharged for as little as Rs 10. Calls will be charged at Rs 1 per minute, and students can dial only four parent-approved numbers. CCTV cameras will monitor the booths to prevent misuse and ensure proper usage. The project comes at no cost to the government, as IT firm MRKR Solutions will install and maintain the facilities. This initiative is part of the AP government’s broader commitment to BC student welfare, which already includes upgraded hostels, nutritious meals, digital kits, computer labs, RO plants, and safety infrastructure. By allowing BC students to speak to their parents daily, the MJP Gurukul pay phone initiative is expected to strengthen emotional well-being and enhance educational performance, providing both students and parents reassurance and peace of mind.