Students protest at Indira Park over pending fee reimbursement, scholarship arrears

Students' Federation of India staged a protest at Hyderabad's Indira Park demanding release of pending fee reimbursement and scholarship dues. Protesters alleged that unpaid arrears have affected students' education and careers, warning of a statewide movement if the issue remains unresolved.

Hyderabad: Slogans demanding the release of fee reimbursement arrears and scholarship dues rent the air as the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Telangana State Committee, organised “Hello Vidyarthi – Chalo Hyderabad” protest programme at Indira Park here on Thursday.

According to protesters, the State government owes Rs 10,500 crore in fee reimbursement and scholarship arrears, which have not been released for the last three academic years. Due to non-payment of these arrears, the protesters lamented that several colleges withheld their certificates, depriving them of pursuing higher education or taking up a job.

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Addressing the protest, SFI State Secretary T Nagaraju criticised the Congress government, stating that its policies implemented under the banner of ‘Praja Palana’ have forced students to take to the streets in protest. Referring to Nizam College, he said students are being told that certificates will not be issued unless fees are paid and asked whether the government is unaware of this. He warned of a State-wide movement for release of pending fee reimbursement and scholarship dues.

SFI State president S Rajinikanth alleged that the government introduced GO No 9, which weakened the system of directly crediting fee reimbursement amounts into students’ accounts every year.

SFI Telangana former secretary T Sagar said pending dues, which stood at about Rs 4,000 crore under the previous government, have increased by Rs 6,400 crore after the Congress government assumed office, taking dues to Rs 10,400 crore.