Origin of the Department

Prior to 30.06.1975 Education at all levels in the State was being managed by one Head of the Department called Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI). There was enormous growth of educational Institutions, both at Secondary and Collegiate levels. With a view to streamline the functioning of the monolithic Directorate of Public Instruction and making it function more effectively, the Government have issued orders, bifurcating the department into the Directorate of School Education and Directorate of Higher Education in the year 1975 vide G.O. MsNo. 788 Edn., dated 30.06.1975. The Directorate of Higher Education was entrusted with the responsibility of the Management of Degree and Junior Colleges in the State.

Directorate of Collegiate Education

Over the years due to enormous increase in the number of Junior colleges on one hand and the Degree Colleges on the other, administration of these two sectors of Higher Education became difficult for a single Head of the Department. Therefore to give special attention to these two areas of education, The Directorate of Higher Education was further divided into Directorate of Collegiate Education and Directorate of Intermediate Education vide G.O.Ms.No.343-Edn, Dated: 31.10.1989.Thus the Directorate of Collegiate Education came into existence on 01.11.1989 as a separate entity to deal exclusively with the matters of Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Colleges in the State.

Purpose for creation of the Department

The Department is created to promote Collegiate Education, giving special attention to the areas located in Backward and Rural areas, to strengthen Women education at undergraduate and post-graduate levels to create educational opportunities for weaker sections of the society and to introduce need-based vocational courses replacing the conventional courses in a phased manner.

Evolution of the Department

In the year 1969 the State Government had introduced 10+2+3 systems of education and started number of Junior Colleges in the State to impart Intermediate Education. The number of these colleges increased immensely after formation of Directorate of Higher Education on 30.06.1975. Consequently, the administrative responsibilities of Director of Higher Education have enormously increased and the centralized management of all the colleges from the State capital had become very difficult. Thus the need was felt to decentralize the organization which has resulted in the creation of four regional offices in the State to oversee the functioning of colleges in the respective regions in the year 1981. The four offices of Regional Joint Directors are located at Rajahmundry, Gutur, Kadapa and Warangal.