Kakinada: Engineering colleges fail to clear JNTU-K dues

• According to varsity officials, around `180 cr is due from the affiliated colleges since 2008

• After issuing notices recently following clearance of fee reimbursement dues by the state govt, the varsity could collect only `19 cr

• Parents are also alleging that college managements have not refunded the money they had paid earlier towards fee before the govt cleared the dues

Kakinada: Many engineering colleges affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTU-K) are unwilling to clear their fee dues to the university even though they have received fee reimbursements from the government. The colleges have to pay Rs 1,850 towards University Fund and other fees per student to the university every year. However, several colleges have not been paying these fees to the varsity 2008 on one or other pretext. When the university talked tough, politicians entered the scene stalling the process. Sources in the university say intervention by politicos has been coming in the way of collecting dues from college managements.

The college managements for all these years cited non-clearance of reimbursement dues by the successive governments for not paying due to the university. But with the government clearing all the dues to the college managements, the varsity recently issued notices to 260 affiliated colleges to clear their dues.

But according to director of academic planning department, the university could collect only Rs 19 crore out of the total Rs 180 crore dues. "We are facing a lot of pressures from some political leaders not to press college managements. Some managements are not willing to pay their dues even though they have received fee reimbursement amounts completely,'' said an official of the university.

Meanwhile, college managements alleged to have been dragging their feet in following Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's instructions that they should credit the fee amounts they had collected from students due to delay in reimbursement from the government in to the accounts of parents.

The college managements have not paid the amounts so far to the students and some are also trying to evade payment on various pretexts. "Though the Chief Minister issued strict instructions to the college managements, the colleges have not implemented them. He should order a probe into the issue and take action against such colleges,'' demanded a parent.

According to information, nearly 100 bank cheques issued by engineering colleges to the JNTU towards fee dues have bounced. Confirming this, director of academic planning of the university V Ravindra, said that action would be initiated against the managements concerned. He said that Rs 19 crore dues were collected from the 230 colleges under the university so far. "While 157 colleges have received fees reimbursement money, 73 colleges have not got the reimbursement and of them, 22 colleges approached the court, seeking enhanced fee structure. Some colleges have not submitted proper documents to get the fee reimbursement," he said.

Ravindra said action would be taken against the college managements who have refused to accept examination fees from students for not clearing transportation dues.

He said that B.Tech and M.Tech examinations may be held in July and August by following Covid-19 guidelines. However, some colleges have been declared a Covid-19 care centres and a decision has to be taken on conducting the examinations, he added.