The Tourism Minister of Telangana Sri. Jupally Krishna Rao, visited National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Gachibowli, Hyderabad on the 01st Mar’24 (Friday) 10:30 am, along with the Director of Tourism Smt. K.Nikhila, IAS who is also NITHM’s Director i/c.
Smt. K Nikhila, IAS greeted and welcomed the tourism minister Sri. Jupally Krishna Rao along with NITHM students and few staff members. After a brief meeting, the minister went on a campus tour; he was escorted by the Director I/c. The minister visited the Academic block one of the classrooms; he also took a seat like a student along with the Director I/c, and listened to the faculty taking a business communication class with the 1st year BBA (Tourism & Hospitality) students. He asked the students a question, what is the importance of their course? And listened to a few students’ views on the same. Then the Minister also interacted with the class students and projected the importance of tourism education, for the growth of our state tourism. The importance of a tour guide when it comes to a tourist, a guide needs to have sound knowledge of tourism places, and its history and also good language skills. The minister asked the students if they have any issues, students replied on their need for working LCD and computers in all classes and the play ground to be opened for students with sports equipments. They also mentioned on Sports to be made compulsory.
The minister further visited the School of hospitality block, was taken around to all the domo labs, such as the Front Office, 4 Kitchen’s, Bakery, Trainee Restaurant Mock Rooms and classrooms. He interacted with final B.Sc Hotel Management students and asked if they have any issues, to which the students expressed to improve the quality of food for their lunch and in the hostel mess; State Scholarship Privileges’ to be extended to NITHM students; Hostel Needs Repairs.
The minister also conducted a faculty interaction, where he heard a brief of each member in the room along with the Director I/c. He mentioned the importance of foreign language in the tourism course, and NITHM can associate with IFLU for the students, he expressed that students should be knowledgeable in history and language to be tourist guides. The Minister asked the faculty if they had any grievances. The faculty mentioned all staff are on contract on few are outsourced, not come through the regular hiring procedures, the faculty requested for few following points to be implemented – 1) The Service Rules should be Implemented 2) Sanction of Posts 3) Selection Process 4) Salary should be on Scales as per UGC 4) Promotions transparency 5) PF and Gratuity for all staff members.
In conclusion the minister concluded by saying all points can be put on paper with representation, and he will look into all the grievances of staff and students.
And regarding the admission a suggestion was made to have NITHM mentioned as a tourism institute in all the state tourism brochures that is circulated across other states; and also to have NITHM stall space give for admission promotions at the travel and tourism fairs and exhibitions.