Telangana: Relief to junior colleges, govt keeps GO 29 in abeyance

The move by the State government to keep the order in abeyance would benefit 446 private junior colleges in receiving affiliation from the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education.

Hyderabad: In a major relief to the private junior college managements, the State government on Friday issued orders keeping the GO 29 that mandates fire No Objection Certificate (NoC) from the Fire department, in abeyance for junior colleges operating in the mixed occupancy buildings for two academic years i.e., 2022-23 and 2023-24.

However, the government has made it clear that no further extension will be given.

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As per the GO 29 issued by the Home department in 2020, all the junior colleges which are up to 15 metres height and existing in the mixed occupancy buildings (commercial shops and college) must apply to the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services department seeking Fire NoC.

The move by the State government to keep the order in abeyance would benefit 446 private junior colleges in receiving affiliation from the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education. A fire NoC from the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services department is one of the mandatory documents for obtaining affiliation from the Board every year.

Most of these private junior colleges operating in the mixed occupancy buildings are located in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal districts and a few district towns. Telangana Private Junior College Managements Association President Gouri Satish thanked Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy for issuing orders giving an exemption from fire NoC for the next two academic years.

“We thought the government would extend it for this academic year. However, it gave it for two academic years i.e., 2022-23 and 2023-24. With the government issuing fresh orders, the Board has started the process for granting affiliation to 446 private junior colleges,” he said.