Telangana HC interim fee order sparks concern over burden on marginalised students
HYDERABAD: Student organisations ASEEM and SIO Telangana have raised concern over an interim order of the Telangana High Court permitting private colleges to collect tuition fees directly from students from the 2026–27 academic year.
Order shifts burden amid pending dues
In a press statement, the groups said the court passed the order while hearing petitions filed by colleges, even as “massive scholarship dues” from the government remain unpaid. They said the decision could affect students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC) and minority communities.
For years, the government assured students that tuition fees would be covered under the Fee Reimbursement Scheme. However, delays in payments have led institutions to seek direct collection from students.
Concerns over access and coercion
ASEEM and SIO said while colleges face financial strain due to pending reimbursements, shifting the burden to students is “insensitive and discriminatory”. They warned that economically weaker students may be forced to discontinue education.
The groups also flagged ground-level issues, alleging that some colleges resort to pressure tactics such as withholding certificates and denying hall tickets to enforce payments.
They noted that the court acknowledged pending dues, including amounts for which tokens were generated but not disbursed. “Permitting fee collection from students places the burden of administrative failure on marginalised sections,” the statement said.
Demand for urgent government action
The organisations urged the Telangana government to immediately appeal against the interim order and release all pending scholarship dues.
They also sought strict directions to colleges against harassment, a transparent timeline for payments, and a mechanism to address concerns of both students and institutions.
The groups said their Public Interest Litigation on scholarship delays and student harassment is pending before a division bench of the high court. They added that they would continue to pursue legal and democratic measures to protect students’ rights.
