Rs 557 crore RTF backlog in Telangana leaves minority students in limbo
HYDERABAD: A staggering Rs 557.14 crore remains pending under the Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) scheme for minority students in Telangana, according to an official response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by RTI activist Sashi Kumar from Yugantar.
The Office of the Commissioner, Minorities Welfare, Telangana, revealed that authorities have allowed the pending amount, including both professional and non-professional courses, to accumulate over the past five years. The government stated that it is clearing dues in a phased manner, though it has not provided a specific timeline.
The RTI reply, issued on April 10, 2026, covers 2021 to 2026 and shows that, despite consistent state funding, authorities have allowed unprocessed applications to rise sharply in recent years. As a result, thousands of minority students remain uncertain about reimbursement of their educational expenses.
According to data from the CMW’s Public Information Officer, all applications from 2021-22 and 2022-23 were processed with no pending cases. However, from 2023-24, pendency increased significantly. In 2023-24, only 57,199 of 98,190 applications (worth Rs 3,788 lakhs of Rs 6,514 lakhs) were processed, leaving 40,991 applications and Rs 2,726 lakhs pending. The backlog worsened in 2024-25, with 94,818 applications (Rs 22,240 lakhs) pending out of 1,37,970 applications (Rs 28,636 lakhs). In 2025-26, 45,227 of 55,673 applications (Rs 3,727 lakhs) remain unprocessed. Over five years, 1,81,036 applications totaling Rs 28,693 lakhs are pending out of 4,22,032 applications worth Rs 47,795 lakhs.
Addressing the reasons for the backlog, in response to questions about delays and timelines, the CMW acknowledged the arrears and confirmed that it is clearing dues in phases but did not provide a specific timeline for full clearance. The RTI response also clarified that the state government funds the entire reimbursement scheme without any central government contribution, placing the fiscal responsibility solely on Telangana.
A review of the Budget Release Orders (BROs) attached to the RTI response shows that the government steadily increased allocations. In 2021-22, the government allocated Rs 89.17 crores for Minorities Welfare, covering scholarships and other welfare programs. This rose to Rs 90.73 crores in 2022-23, then to Rs 123.79 crores and Rs 106.20 crores in two tranches in 2023-24. By 2024-25, cumulative BROs exceeded Rs 485 crores, and the 2025-26 BRO alone was Rs 1,203.38 crores. This increase reflects either greater budgetary commitment or the need to address accumulated arrears. The BROs fund a range of welfare initiatives, including government hostels, the Telangana Wakf Board, Urdu Academy, Shaadi Mubarak, Minority Study Circles, and the CM Overseas Study Scheme.
Concluding with challenges, the RTI response noted that District Minorities Welfare Officers, who handle billing at the district level, must provide detailed data on reimbursement tokens for post-matric scholarships under non-professional courses. This decentralized structure may contribute to delays. For activists and student welfare advocates, the data highlights a gap between budgetary intent and actual delivery and raises concerns about whether phased clearance will address the growing backlog.
