Hyderabad: The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) has decided to recommend free and compulsory education for girls up to post-graduate level across the country, said Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Kadiam Srihari on Tuesday.

He was addressing a press conference here after a meeting of the committee in which Jharkhand Education Minister Neera Yadav, Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Special Human Resources Development Department Special Secretary Rinarayi, Member Secretary Meenakshi Garg and other officials participated.  

"The committee will also recommend establishing of exclusive residential degree colleges for SC and ST women besides provision of health and hygiene kits to girls. All these schemes are already being successfully implemented in Telangana," said Srihari, who heads the CABE Sub-Committee on girl child education. 

Earlier, Srihari informed the meeting about the reforms initiated by the education department in Telangana and the steps taken for the education of girls. 

"At present, there is a special education center for women in Telangana, which has been established for degree courses for residential colleges, SCs and ST girls. The same shall be implemented in all states across the country. Also, women's Universities should be set up in all states," Srihari said. 

While Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been functioning till Class VIII, the committee wants the Centre to expand wings of the KGBVs and offer quality and free education to girls till Class XII. It also wants to increase the intake of students in Model School hostels from 100 to 200.

The committee also wants schools to maintain an academic atmosphere, besides providing basic amenities like toilets, running water, maintenance, safety measures and power supply and also appoint a counsellor for adolescent girls.

The sub-committee is likely to submit an interim report to Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar during a meeting on January 15.