Rama Krishna Sangem
After a round of talks with Telangana Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka and Roads & Buildings Minister Komatiredy Venkat Reddy on November 7, Friday night, FATHI which is spearheading the five day old strike of private colleges, has announced calling off its stir. As a result, all private colleges including those of engineering, pharmacy, nursing, education, degree and PG, will open from November 10, Monday. In between are Second Saturday and Sunday.
FATHI (Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Educational Institutions) has been on a stir path demanding releases of their dues from the government under the RTF (Reimbursement of Tuition Fees), pending for the last four years. In a media release after the talks, FATHI has said that the Dy CM had agreed to release Rs 600 crore dues immediately and another Rs 300 crore in a few more days. The federation has asked for Rs 1,500 crore, said the Dy CM.
The government has agreed to constitute a committee on the modalities of payment of RTF to the colleges, as per a FATHI demand. The Dy CM agreed to include representatives of the private colleges managements in the proposed committee. The panel will suggest recommendations on the reforms that are needed in the RTF scheme that was introduced by then YS Rajasekhara Reddy government in 2005-06. Close to 1,800 colleges with an intake of 10 lakh are benefited by the scheme. The panel will submit its report at the earliest.
Exams will be rescheduled
Talking to the media after the talks with the ministers, FATHI chairman Dr Ramesh Nimmatoori said that due to the strike since November 3, some examinations to students couldn’t be held by the private colleges and very soon they would be rescheduled. He said that proposed rallies of teaching staff and the students were stand cancelled as the talks were fruitful. Dr Ramesh also clarified that he hadn’t made any comments against any of the senior government officials as was reported in sections of media.
Interestingly, FATHI talks with the Dy CM and its decision to call off the strike came within an hour after CM Revanth Reddy found fault with the shutting down of the private colleges, hurting the interests of students. The CM objected the agitation path taken by the private colleges managements for securing release of their pending dues. Revanth said that the government was ready to release dues in a staggered manner in the coming months.