Private colleges observe bandh in Telangana over pending fee dues from government 

The dues and arrears since 2021 amount to about ₹2,500 crore, according to president of Professional and Degree Colleges Federation

Gates of private degree colleges in the State remained locked and displayed closure notices in the State on Tuesday (October 15), the reopening day for educational institutes after Dasara vacation, to protest non-payment of long pending fee reversals and scholarships by the government.

The clamour for the bandh began a week before Dasara when college management associations addressed the media to explain their helpless situation and hoped that the government would release some of the dues, to mark a good beginning with Vijayadashami or Dasara.

According to president of Professional and Degree Colleges Federation of Telangana T. Jayapal Reddy, the dues and arrears since 2021 amount to about ₹2,500 crore.

“Teachers are demotivated and are expressing suicidal tendencies, college managements have been declared non-performing assets (NPAs) by banks and are on the verge of facing criminal charges,” he said, describing the dire situation.

The Federation is the umbrella body for associations of colleges of Pharmacy, Engineering, Junior, Degree, B.Ed, Nursing, MBA and MCA. According to information by the Federation, at least 400 various Junior and Degree colleges in the State remained shut on Tuesday.

It is learnt that a virtual conference held by the Federation presidents and over 100 college representatives on Tuesday (October 15) resolved to suspend classes of other colleges starting Thursday. Colleges teaching B. Ed, Engineering and MBA courses would also start to lock their premises during the week.

The bandh on Tuesday was also restricted to Nalgonda, Suryapet, Warangal, and Bhupalapally and other districts, where landlords of State gurukula school buildings protested non-payment of rents for nearly a year.

On the other hand, student unions affiliated to various political parties, in solidarity with college managements and students waiting for their certificates, protested the government’s approach to education and questioned its plans to revive the sector.

Published - October 15, 2024 09:12 pm IST