Hyderabad: A fee crisis is set to hit lakhs of students in Telangana, as private colleges have decided to admit only those who can pay upfront, following the Telangana high court’s approval to collect tuition fees directly from fee reimbursement beneficiaries starting from the 2026–27 academic year. The move, triggered by an interim HC order, is expected to affect nearly five lakh students. About 70% of the seven lakh students enrolled in professional courses rely on the govt’s fee reimbursement scheme to pursue higher education. This includes students from SC, ST, economically backward classes (EBC), BC, and minority communities.As per the interim order, 15 colleges, that filed various writ petitions, are permitted to collect tuition fees from all students, including those eligible under the reimbursement scheme, subject to the final outcome of the petitions.In response, private college managements have decided to get impleaded in the case and enforce upfront fee payments from the next academic year. “We have decided to get impleaded in the case. From the coming academic year, students will be allowed to join our colleges only if parents are willing to pay the fee from their pocket,” said G Nageshwar Rao of the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions.Telangana has a large network of private-run professional institutions, including around 135 engineering colleges, over 110 pharmacy colleges, nearly 300 MBA and MCA colleges, 205 BEd colleges, 75 nursing colleges, and more than 25 law colleges.College managements argue that the decision was inevitable due to pending dues of nearly Rs 10,000 crore from the govt over the last four academic years. They say continued delays in reimbursement have left institutions struggling to meet operational costs, including staff salaries.“We appeal to the govt not to challenge this order and create unnecessary confusion. Parents are paying lakhs of rupees as fees at schools and Intermediate colleges. But in engineering or other professional colleges, they depend on reimbursements. Let parents pay first. Then it is up to the govt to reimburse them,” said Dr Ramdas, chairman of the Telangana State Pharmacy College Managements.The court order, however, has sparked concern among stakeholders. “There is a need for the court to review this order. The poor and middle class cannot spend lakhs of rupees to study. This move will kill students’ and their parents’ dreams,” said Jajula Lingam Goud, a BC leader. Students are also worried about the consequences. Many said they cannot bear the added financial burden, especially with no clarity on when the govt will reimburse the fees.“All my life I studied in govt institutions. The only reason I joined a private engineering college is fee reimbursement. This morning, when I told my parents about this judgment, they simply asked me to drop out and come back to the village so that I can work along with them. There is no way we could pay about Rs 90,000 per year to complete the course,” said P Avinash, a second-year computer science and engineering student, whose parents are bamboo weavers.
