SFI Calls Telangana College Bandh on Oct 30 Over Pending Fee, Scholarships

Hyderabad:Students Federation of India (SFI), a group of universities, diploma and professional colleges across the state, on October 30, called for immediate release of long-pending fee refunds and scholarships.

At a press conference held at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad, SFI state president S. Rajinikanth and secretary T. Nagaraju said that around Rs 8,000 crore remained in limbo for over six years. “The Congress government, now in power for 23 months, had promised to release at least Rs 1,200 crore immediately, but even this has not been done,” they said.

They alleged that private college managements are forcing students to pay refundable fees out of pocket, leaving many from SC, ST, BC and minority communities in debt. They demanded that the government issue a guarantee order assuring universities that pending amounts would be cleared and students would not be penalised.

They also sought deletion of debts under the Best Available Scheme, diet and cosmetics expenses and post-matric scholarships. “The state’s education system is heading towards paralysis. If the government does not release funds by the first week of November, we will launch a ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ protest,” warned SFI state vice president K. Ashok Reddy.