On Monday, September 15, private professional colleges in Telangana ended their indefinite strike after the state government assured the immediate release of Rs 600 crore in tuition fee reimbursements, reported The New Indian Express.
The decision followed a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and representatives of the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education Institutions (FATHI). “As the government has assured us that pending dues will be released immediately, we have decided to call off our strike,” confirmed FATHI president Ramesh Babu.
Government’s financial commitment
Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka announced the immediate disbursement of Rs 600 crore, with the remaining dues to be cleared in phases. “We have decided to release Rs 600 crore immediately, and the remaining dues will be cleared in phases,” he stated.
He attributed the financial crisis and mounting dues, totaling nearly Rs 8,000 crore, to the previous BRS government. Last year, tokens worth Rs 1,207 crore were issued but never funded.
Formation of a streamlining committee
To ensure smoother future disbursements, Vikramarka announced the creation of a committee comprising principal secretaries, senior officials, and FATHI representatives. The committee aims to simplify and consolidate procedures for fee reimbursements, addressing long-standing issues in the process.
FATHI’s demands
FATHI had initially demanded the release of Rs 1,200 crore before Dasara, clearance of all remaining dues by October 31, issuance of a government order for a new reimbursement system by December 31, and a fixed deadline of September 30 for fee disbursements starting from the 2025–26 academic year.
Additionally, colleges sought an immediate release of Rs 700 crore, with Rs 500 crore for private professional colleges and Rs 200 crore for private degree colleges.
Statewide protests
The strike, which saw over 90% of private colleges across Telangana shut down, was accompanied by protests from student organisations. Notably, ABVP activists held a rally from Nizam College to Liberty Junction in Hyderabad, demanding the immediate release of the pending funds.
In a separate meeting, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, along with Vikramarka, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, and education officials, discussed a 2022 Vigilance Commission report from the BRS regime.
The report pointed out deficiencies in private professional colleges, including inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of teaching staff, and other irregularities.
