In several areas, protesters defied police barricades, leading to confrontations and detentions. From early morning, YSRCP cadres, students, and leaders led processions to medical colleges, but the police broke them up.
Published Sep 19, 2025 | 7:44 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 19, 2025 | 7:44 PM
The party accused the government of using force and intimidation to suppress peaceful protests. (X)
Synopsis: The YSRCP organised a statewide “Chalo Medical Colleges” protest on Friday, opposing the Andhra Pradesh government’s plan to set up 10 medical colleges under a public-private partnership model. Police detained several senior YSRCP leaders and activists as protests outside medical colleges led to scuffles and confrontations. The party accused the government of undermining affordable medical education and public healthcare by privatising institutions originally sanctioned under the previous YSRCP administration.
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) organised a “Chalo Medical Colleges” protest across Andhra Pradesh on Friday, 19 September, against the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s decision to set up medical colleges under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
YSRCP students and activists staged protests outside medical colleges across the state, accusing the government of undermining affordable medical education and healthcare by transferring valuable government assets to private entities under the PPP model.
Police placed several senior YSRCP leaders, including former ministers and district heads, under house arrest to curb their participation.
In several areas, protesters defied police barricades, leading to confrontations and detentions. From early morning, YSRCP cadres, students, and leaders led processions to medical colleges, but the police broke them up.
The party accused the government of using force and intimidation to suppress peaceful protests. In some districts, arguments between protesters and police led to minor scuffles and arrests.
In the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, the issue caused disruptions as YSRCP members stormed the well, raising slogans against the government’s alleged “sale of medical colleges to benamis,” leading to repeated interruptions.
The current PPP controversy has its roots in the previous YSRCP government’s ambitious medical college expansion programme with 17 new medical colleges with varying budget allocations based on infrastructure requirements.
These colleges were originally sanctioned and planned to be implemented in the public sector by the then Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Chandrababu Naidu regime has now shifted the model from a public sector approach to a public-private partnership.
Following a cabinet meeting on 4 September, the government approved the development of 10 medical colleges across the state under the PPP model.
According to the government, “PPPs can reduce design, financing and implementation risks, improve project efficiency, and provide long-term value for money. All 10 medical colleges are planned to be developed under this model. Construction will be completed so that admissions can begin in the 2027–28 academic year.”
Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier warned that if his party returns to power, all tenders under this model will be scrapped.
YSRCP leaders emphasised that the ten of the 17 medical colleges established between 2019 and 2024 under Jagan Mohan Reddy’s regime were aimed at enhancing healthcare access and affordable medical education.
They argued that privatisation would limit opportunities for rural and middle-class students and weaken public health infrastructure.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
