Rama Krishna Sangem
Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education Institutions, representing 32 bodies, on June 18, Wednesday urged Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to release dues of RTF (Reimbursement of Tuition Fee) pending for the last few years. This will save not just hundreds of educational institutions and their thousands of employees, but also lakhs of students from rural and poor backgrounds. This will affect Telangana state in forgoing professionally qualified youth.
As many as eight associations representing engineering, pharmacy, nursing, education and management and computer sciences came together to form a consortium in the name and style of the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI). This Federation formed and accordingly the Federation was registered with 33 members as Office bearers. The Federation, in its first executive council meeting held in Hyderabad unanimously resolved the following, according to a press release”:
- Release the reimbursement fee amount which has already been issued in token system by this month i.e. 30.06.2025. This amount will be tune of around Rs 2,000 crore.
- Release the fee reimbursement dues up to 2023-24 academic year within three months. The total amount is estimated to be around Rs 7,000 crore.
- Release the fee reimbursement amount of 2024-25 academic year academic year dues within six months i.e. 30.12.2025
- Requesting the Government to release of reimbursement payment to the colleges from the academic year 2025-26 with four instalments in the same academic year. A formal Government Order is required to be issued by the Government.
- To Explain the repercussions on the delay of release of Reimbursement payment, the Federation unanimously resolved to meet the Chief minister of Telangana and Council of Ministers. In this regard, the core committee if formed with Chairman, Secretary General, Treasure, Organising Secretary along with office bearers.
- The Executive Council unanimously decided to meet all political parties, Student Organisations, Parents and Students, to represent this issue to the Government for the welfare of Higher Education of the student and safe guard the quality of Higher Education.
Students are most affected
Speaking to media persons, FATHI chairman Dr Ramesh Babu Nimmatoori said that piled up dues of RTF to the colleges has been affecting the overall quality of higher and professional education in Telangana and the students the most affected. “Many colleges are not in a position to run the institutions as the dues piled up over the years and are unable to pay salaries to the faculty and staff” he said. Dr Ramesh also the chancellor of Aurora University and chairman of Aurora Group of engineering, MBA, law and degree and PG colleges.
Dr Ramdas Kattekola, honorary chairman, Telangana pharmacy colleges managements association and FATHI’s media secretary said that the state government should at least allow the students to pay the tuition fees from this academic year so that the colleges can cope with the funds paucity to some extent. He urged the CM to see that the scholarship amounts of at least SC/ST students to be paid to the educational institutions. “Even if the government pays at least Rs 200 crore per month to the colleges, the dues problem can be solved in a short time,” said Dr Ramdas.
Dr Ramdas made it clear that the FATHI is ready to cooperate with the government in providing quality professional education to the students of Telangana.
FATHI colleges breakup:
FATHI represents a total number of 157 engineering colleges, 123 pharmacy colleges, 205 BEd colleges, 160 MBA colleges, 253 general nursing colleges, 75 BPT (physiotherapy) colleges, 90 B MLT (medical lab technicians) colleges) and 30 law colleges. At this meeting, FATHI also decided to meet and explain all the stakeholders, including students, parents and others in society, the situation arising out of the delay in payment of dues to the colleges.
