HC raps Telangana govt, allows 4 engineering colleges to increase intake capacity

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has granted significant relief to four private engineering colleges, allowing them to increase their intake capacity for Computer Science Engineering (CSE) and allied courses as permitted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

The division bench, comprising chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice J Sreenivas Rao, on Monday, October 21, issued the directive during a hearing of four contempt of court cases filed by the colleges against the state government.

The colleges involved include Vidya Jyothi Institute of Technology, CMR College of Engineering and Technology, Malla Reddy College of Engineering for Women, and MLR Institute of Technology.

These institutions had approached the court after the government had failed to implement a previous division bench order, which had directed the authorities to increase the engineering seats and conduct mop-up counselling for the additional capacity.

The division bench expressed its frustration, stating, “We directed them to conduct mop-up counselling and replace it, but this was not done. The appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed, and even a review petition was not ordered.”

The court stressed that any further delay would harm the colleges, which would be unable to admit the students under the increased intake capacity.

The court allowed the colleges to admit the students through spot admissions, but strictly warned against charging any ‘capitation fee.’

Notices were issued to the respondents, including the state government, and the case was adjourned for three weeks.

At one point, the bench observed that the colleges belonged to a rival political party, and officials had likely avoided conducting the mop-up round to appease their political superiors.

In a stern warning, the court cautioned that the continued disobedience of the court’s order from September 9, 2024, could result in six months of imprisonment and a fine amounting to Rs 2,000 fine for the authorities responsible for the delay.