Hyderabad: Several students from private pharmacy and engineering colleges across Hyderabad are facing a critical situation as government fee reimbursement delays continue to jeopardise their academic progress.
College in Hyderabad demands lakhs as govt lags on payments
With final exams approaching, many students are being asked to pay fees amounting to over Rs 1.65 lakh at a pharmacy college, raising concerns about missing crucial exams and potentially losing years of education.
At St Paul’s College of Pharmacy in Hyderabad, students allege that the state government reimbursed only the first-year fees following the TS EAMCET 2021 admissions, leaving the remaining three years unpaid. As a result, the college is now asking students to clear pending dues before the final exams.
“They gave us a free seat on merit under the General-EWS quota. Now the college wants Rs 1.65 lakh, and if we don’t pay, we won’t be allowed to write the exams,” said a student on condition of anonymity. While the official exam date is yet to be announced, students expect it to be held by the end of June.
Asaduddin Owaisi, officials offer no immediate relief
Several students have alleged apathy on the part of government officials, claiming that their repeated appeals were met with indifference and a lack of urgency. Despite the looming risk of missing exams, no concrete steps have been taken to address their concerns, forcing many to fend for themselves under mounting pressure.
Last week, students reportedly sought help from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi. They allege that during a private meeting, he merely remarked that there was still time and the issue would be looked into. They also approached the Nampally Collector’s office, where the official reportedly advised students to pay at least half the amount as an interim measure.
Meanwhile, the college management offered to refund the amount once the government clears the pending reimbursements.
Despite these assurances, many students are struggling to raise the funds within the short deadline. “We tried speaking to the chairman of the college in Hyderabad, K Sudhir. He said he had appealed for fee reimbursement but hasn’t received a response from the government, and now he needs to pay staff salaries,” said a student.
Issue spills beyond one college
The fee reimbursement issue appears to extend beyond a single institution.
A 23-year-old Hyderabad student who graduated from the Lord’s Institute of Engineering and Technology college in 2024 stated that he has still not received his Rs 78,000 reimbursement. “The college withheld our SSC and Intermediate original certificates and gave us only virtual ones, which could affect those applying abroad,” he said.
Another 24-year-old student from the 2024 batch revealed that he decided to pay the full amount out of pocket as he was applying for a master’s program in Germany and had no hope of fee reimbursement arriving in time.
Engineering colleges in Hyderabad may boycott counselling
As the fee reimbursement issue continues, various engineering colleges and other professional institutions in Hyderabad and other Telangana districts are exploring the option of boycotting counselling.
As per a TOI report, as the fee reimbursement dues have reached nearly Rs 7500 crore, the engineering and other professional colleges in Hyderabad and other Telangana districts are considering not accepting any ‘zero fee’ admissions in the academic year 2025-26.
They are demanding that the government clear the dues by August 15. In order to put their demand in front of the government, they have formed an association—the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education Institutions (FATHI).
| 
