By Kv Kurmanath

Copyright thehindubusinessline

Thousands of students in over 2,000 higher educational institutions in Telangana, including engineering, pharma, degree, and post-graduation colleges, have stayed home on Monday, with the managements of these institutions calling for an indefinite bandh, protesting over dues aggregating to ₹10,000 crore from the State Government.

The dues are linked to the two fee reimbursement schemes – a fee waiver for the poor students (with an income of under ₹2 lakh), and those who get ranks under 10,000 in the engineering entrance examinations.

Initiated by the Congress Government in the mid-2000s, the scheme facilitated access to higher education for poorer communities. However, the colleges complain that successive governments have failed to reimburse the amount to the colleges, placing a significant financial burden on them.

“All students, their parents, faculty, and staff may be aware that fee reimbursement by the State Government is long overdu,e and the management of all the colleges are struggling hard to pay the salaries and meet other expenditures The managements association of the colleges have decided to close the colleges from September 15 until further notice,” says the message from the Principal of a private engineering college to a student.

Some offer online, others fully closed

While some colleges have offered online classes, others have closed their campuses for in-person classes.

“The Government has called for discussions on Monday afternoon. If it succeeds in arriving at a solution, we will call off our decision,” a leader of the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Educational Institutions told businessline.

Mounting dues

During the last three years of the erstwhile BRS Government, the dues crossed the Rs 5,000-crore mark. The trend, which continued after the Congress Government came into power in December 2023.

“The new government owed us ₹3,000 crore, taking the total to ₹8,000 crore. By the end of the financial year (including the reimbursement commitment for the current academic year), the amount would cross the ₹10,000-crore mark. This is simply unsustainable any longer,” he said.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who is also holding the Finance portfolio, has called the managements for deliberations to find a solution.

Published on September 15, 2025