Telangana fee reimbursement: 72% of dues for three years remain unpaid

Fee reimbursement arrears in Telangana have increased sharply, leaving students from BC, minority and EBC communities facing difficulties. Government data shows that only 28% of the Rs 7,673.78 crore demanded for three academic years has been released so far

Hyderabad: Students from the Backward Class, Minorities and EBC communities are bearing the brunt due to an inordinate delay by the Telangana Congress government in releasing the fee reimbursement arrears.

Since the Telangana Congress party came into power during the academic year 2023-24, the fee dues payment statistics show a widening gap between the demand and payments. While Rs 7,673.78 crore had to be released for the last three academic years, only 28 per cent (Rs.2,160.03 crore) was released so far, leaving 72 per cent (Rs 5,513.75 crore) dues.

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Statistics reveal a decline in the payment fee dues, which fell from 40.82 per cent in academic year 2023-24 to just 7.92 per cent during the academic year 2025-26. This raises questions about the sustenance of the scheme that aided lakhs of students in pursuing their higher education over the years.

This inordinate delay in releasing the dues has been badly affecting students, with several colleges withholding their certificates over unpaid dues. With no option left, students are being forced to shell out the entire tuition fee from their pockets and collect certificates. Further, private colleges too have resorted to indefinite strikes, partial shutdowns, and protests demanding the government release the fee arrears. However, dues continue to shoot up.

As per the department-wise statistics released by the State government, the fee dues burden is heaviest on the BCs. Even as the academic year 2025-26 concluded, 96.63 per cent of the fee dues out of Rs 922.92 crore demand has remained unpaid for 3,62,065 BCs.

As for the academic year 2024-25, 98 per cent out of Rs 1176.92 crore of 4,82,524 BC students are yet to be paid. Similarly, 64 per cent out of Rs 1207.19 crore in fee dues remained uncleared for the academic year 2023-24.

The situation is grim for students hailing from minority communities. The three-year statistics show that not even a single rupee out of Rs 251.86 crore in fee arrears for 89,118 verified applications from the minorities’ communities had been released during the academic year 2025-26.

Academic years 2024-25 and 2023-24 are no better for minorities, as 99.89 per cent of Rs 375.80 crore fee dues for 1,19,066 students and 81 per cent of Rs 388.10 crore dues of 1,32,246 students are yet to be released.

Overall, the State government owes Rs 8,591.63 crore in fee dues. During the nine long years of the BRS government, the fee dues were just around Rs 3,000 crore, with no pending dues from the academic years 2014-15 to 2018-19. However, in just nearly three years of the Telangana Congress government’s rule, a staggering Rs 5,513.76 crore in fee dues piled up.

– Academic year 2023-24

*Total applications: 10,33,898

*Fee demand: Rs 2,719.31 crore

*Fee paid: Rs 1,110.19 crore

*Pending dues: Rs 1,609.12 crore

– Academic year 2024-25

*Total applications: 9,07,803

*Fee demand: Rs 2,761.01 crore

*Fee paid: Rs 876.03 crore

*Pending dues: Rs 1,884.99 crore

– Academic year 2025-26

*Total applications: 67,7061

*Fee demand: Rs 2,193.46 crore

*Fee paid: Rs 173.81 crore

*Pending dues: Rs 2,019.65 crore

* Total pending dues: Rs 8,591.63 crore

* Fee dues up to 2022-23: Rs 3,077.87 crore

* Fee arrears from 2023-24 to 2025-26: Rs 5,513.76 crore