Tirupati: The Sri Kalahasteeswara Institute of Technology (SKIT) in Srikalahasti is set to resume its operations after the state cabinet approved transfer of the institution’s land and buildings to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Anantapur, through a lease agreement.
The Cabinet decision is expected to complete the merger process, enabling JNTU to take charge of the institution. Admissions are likely from the second phase of AP EAPCET counselling for the 2026-27 academic year.
Established in 1997, SKIT remained closed since the 2020-21 academic year following a decline in student admissions and financial constraints.
The proposal to merge the college with JNTU Anantapur had been approved by the Cabinet in 2018 following a proposal by former minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy. However, the process remained pending due to the change in government.
The proposal gained momentum after the present government assumed office. Srikalahasti MLA Bojjala Venkata Sudheer Reddy pursued the matter with the government. Education minister Nara Lokesh, during his visit to Srikalahasti on July 1, assured local party leaders that the college would be reopened.
The government subsequently issued orders in July 2025, approving the merger with JNTU Anantapur, but technical and administrative procedures delayed its implementation.
With the latest cabinet approval, the process of transfer of the 55-acre campus to JNTU Anantapur is expected to be completed shortly. The existing academic buildings and infrastructure would enable the university to commence academic activities without significant delay.
The revived institution is expected to offer courses in Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Welcoming the cabinet decision, MLA Bojjala Venkata Sudheer Reddy thanked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and education minister N. Lokesh for supporting the revival of the institution. He said the reopening of SKIT would improve access to engineering education for students from Srikalahasti and neighbouring areas and strengthen higher education in the region.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
