Hyderabad: Postgraduate and PhD students at Osmania University are getting frustrated with the shortage of scholarships and slow processing of reimbursements. A nearly fourfold increase in fees compared to the previous academic year has increased their financial burden and they are demanding swift processing of scholarships.
A lot of students who pay for their own education are upset because they got only some of their fees back, and they have to pay more than half of the money themselves.
The unexpected fee hike has worsened the situation for financially strained students. While PG fees increased significantly in the previous academic year (from Rs 3,000 to Rs 14,000), this year saw an unprecedented surge in PhD fees, jumping from '1,000 to a staggering Rs 20,000. Students are outraged by this sudden increase.
P. Rajitha, a PhD student, said, "Timely scholarship and reimbursement processing is crucial for us to pursue our academic goals without unnecessary financial burdens. The fee hike has left many of us struggling to finance our education and meet our basic needs."
The ongoing financial crisis of the Telangana state government has further compounded the situation. It has been revealed that the government owes colleges a massive sum of Rs 5,000 crore in fee reimbursement arrears. This funding delay has strained educational institutions financially and hindered them from fulfilling their obligations to the students. Delayed scholarship and reimbursement payments have added to the challenges faced by these students in making ends meet.
The student community is now urging the university administration and the Telangana state government to promptly address these pressing issues. "All we ask for is prompt and efficient scholarship processing and reimbursement disbursal, which would enable us to focus on our studies and grades instead of worrying about money. The Telangana state government must expedite the clearance of outstanding fee reimbursement arrears to relieve the financial strain on colleges and ease concerns among students," stated Mallikarjuna, a microbiology student.
