‘Maha Rally’ by Telangana private degree, PG colleges on February 1

Management of private degree and PG colleges to protest State government's inaction on long-pending fee reimbursement dues

Hyderabad: The managements of private degree and postgraduate colleges in Telangana will hold a ‘Maha Rally’ at Indira Park on Saturday to protest the State government’s inaction on long-pending fee reimbursement dues.

The Telangana State Private Degree and PG Colleges Management Association (TPDMA), which will spearhead the Maha Dharna, said that repeated appeals to the State government for the release of arrears, which have accumulated over the past three academic years, have gone unanswered.

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The Maha Dharna comes roughly two months after colleges across the state were forced to shut down temporarily due to the non-payment of these dues.

Dr Suryanarayana Reddy, president, TPDMA, said that colleges are struggling to cover daily expenses and facing severe financial hardship due to the outstanding dues. He explained that a previous bandh call was withdrawn after a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who had assured them that the dues would be released to all colleges by December 20, 2024.

However, Reddy said the government has only made minimal payments, covering just 5 per cent of the total dues and reaching only 25 per cent of the colleges. He added that the remaining 75 per cent of colleges have received no payment at all.

“This inordinate delay has put both the future of students and the sustainability of college managements in jeopardy,” Reddy emphasised. “To protest the inordinate delay in clearing the fee dues, the colleges have no option but to organise a maha rally from Indira Park.”