Telangana private engineering colleges face vigilance checks amid fee dues row

Vigilance teams are inspecting private engineering colleges across Telangana amid a dispute over pending fee reimbursement dues. The inspections cover admissions, attendance, scholarships, faculty, infrastructure and finances. Some college managements have alleged political retaliation, while the government cites verification requirements.

Hyderabad: In what appears to be ‘political retaliation’ for demanding their legit fee reimbursement dues to the tune of Rs 8,500 crore, the Telangana Congress government initiated vigilance inspections of private engineering colleges.

What began as a surprise visit by the vigilance team comprising 10-12 officers headed by an SP or DSP on Wednesday continued on Thursday as well, with several teams inspecting private engineering colleges across erstwhile 10 districts from morning until late evening.

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The move comes in the wake of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s recent statement in Assembly blaming some students for availing two scholarships and stating that vigilance inspections would be carried out.

However, the inspections appear to have gone beyond the issue of fee reimbursement or scholarships that the colleges have been demanding.

Armed with a 67-point questionnaire, the vigilance teams are examining every aspect of college functioning — from permissions and admissions to student attendance, faculty, infrastructure, laboratories, results and utilisation of government funds.

The teams are verifying whether colleges are functioning at the approved locations, whether or not all permitted courses are being offered, and whether or not AICTE approval documents for the past five years are available. In addition to examining the University’s affiliation orders, details of any course discontinued or any reduction in sanctioned seats without approval are also being sought.

The colleges have been instructed to furnish details of students receiving scholarships each year, their names and their presence in admission registers. This is being verified by the attendance recorded in the registers and biometrics.

Further, the teams are cross-verifying attendance of students availing scholarships with records submitted to the university and checking whether or not any changes have been made to the attendance data.

“The main focus of inspecting teams is on the college’s finances, scholarships and attendance. However, they are also verifying admissions, affiliation, infrastructure and laboratories. We are fully cooperating with the teams and furnishing all details as sought,” said an owner of one of the famous engineering colleges in the city.

The teams are also examining whether or not the colleges are following AICTE-prescribed staff norms. Additionally, department-wise faculty lists, appointment orders and salary payment records have also been sought.

This exercise, however, did not go down well with some private professional college owners, who termed it a ‘political vendetta’ by the government.

“Instead of clearing the fee dues, the government ordered vigilance inspections, which is purely for vengeance. Except for SC, ST and Minorities, the government has to pay only the base of Rs 35,000 for BCs and OCs with an income certificate, but even that is not being released. Funds released by the Central government towards the SCs, STs and Minorities are also being diverted, and colleges have not paid for several years,” said a professional college owner.