Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has expressed concerns that the negligent approach of the State government towards the implementation of the “Fee Reimbursement” scheme jeopardises the future of countless poor students.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday, it was highlighted that many colleges, including those of intermediate, degree, engineering, and nursing studies, are facing a severe crisis. The previous BRS government and the current Congress administration have contributed to this situation by failing to pay the fee reimbursement dues on time. Over the past four years, nearly Rs 8,000 crore has accrued in arrears. Resulting in private college managements are in turmoil, struggling to pay salaries and maintenance costs for teachers and staff, which has led many of them into debt.

Some colleges have already closed due to these financial issues. Additionally, private colleges are now insisting that certificates will not be issued until fees are paid, causing significant difficulties for students who wish to apply for jobs or pursue higher education. This issue has been brought to the attention of the government multiple times, including by the heads of the previous administration.

Sanjay Kumar reminded the Chief Minister that it was the Congress party that originally introduced the fee reimbursement programme to ensure that every underprivileged individual could access higher education at the corporate level. He referenced a meeting held at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTU-H), where the Chief Minister assured engineering colleges that Minister Sridhar Babu would oversee the settlement of these fee dues under a One Time Settlement (OTS) plan. The CM also promised that the fee reimbursements would be paid on time starting from the current academic year and instructed the Finance Department to implement the necessary measures.

Furthermore, the Chief Minister announced in the State Legislature that the dues would be divided into 12 installments and cleared over 12 months. However, these commitments have yet to be fulfilled, leading to a deterioration of public trust in the State government.