HYDERABAD: With around 780 private professional colleges in Telangana threatening an indefinite strike from Monday over Rs 8,000 crore in fee reimbursement dues, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others met stakeholders on Sunday and assured them that the state government would take a decision on Monday.
The meeting, which lasted nearly four hours, was also attended by IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao and others.
“The talks went on positively. We understood the issues of private colleges. Since today is Sunday, tomorrow (Monday) the government will take a decision. Until then, we requested the college managements to call off the strike,” Vikramarka said.
However, the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education Institutions (FATHI) chairman N Ramesh Babu told TNIE that since the meeting ended late at night, it would not be possible to inform students that colleges would remain open on Monday.
A decision on postponing the strike, he said, would be taken by the afternoon.
Members of FATHI urged the government to release at least Rs 1,200 crore by September 21. They pointed out that despite repeated representations and a meeting with TGCHE officials, no clarity was provided on the release of dues, which have been pending for four years.
Colleges demand entire dues cleared by December 31
They said the token dues were supposed to be cleared in June this year, but were not. The association, which held an emergency general body meeting on Sunday, demanded the release of the entire Rs 8,000 crore in arrears from previous years — 50% by October 31 and the remainder by December 31.
Meanwhile, colleges have said the delay in fee reimbursements has left faculty and staff without salaries for several months. They also want the government to clear dues for the academic year 2025-26 before March 31, 2026, and to submit a feasibility report on the Trust Bank proposal by October 31.