Telangana Colleges Shut Statewide Over `10K-Cr Dues

Hyderabad: An indefinite shutdown of private colleges began across Telangana on Monday, as managements, staff and student unions demanded the release of long-pending fee reimbursement and scholarship dues. Around 1,500 professional and degree colleges under the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI) joined the bandh, accusing the government of failing to clear nearly Rs 10,000 crore in arrears.

College associations said that while the government had promised to release Rs 1,200 crore in two instalments during the festive season, only s300 crore had been disbursed so far. The delay, they said, has crippled institutions, leaving many unable to pay staff salaries or continue classes. Thousands of students have also been unable to obtain their certificates due to unpaid dues.

At a press conference in Hyderabad, FATHI’s core committee said the bandh would continue until at least Rs 5,000 crore was released. The federation announced a series of large-scale protests, including a rally of 30,000 staff members at LB Stadium on November 8 and a long march of nearly 10 lakh students towards the Secretariat on November 11 if payments were not made by then. The organisers thanked parents, students, and the public for extending support to the bandh, which affected classes across engineering, pharmacy, management, and degree institutions statewide.

Meanwhile, the government has ordered vigilance inspections of institutions under the Post-Matric Scholarships scheme to verify beneficiaries, infrastructure, staffing, and compliance. College managements have called the move coercive, saying it does not address the immediate cash crunch that has stalled salaries and certificate issuance.

Student unions, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and others, joined the protest, accusing the government of using vigilance checks to suppress demands rather than resolving the crisis. Police presence was stepped up across Hyderabad, particularly near ministers’ quarters, following clashes between students and security personnel in recent days.

The strike has severely disrupted the state’s higher education system. Teachers’ associations warned that academic calendars and semester exams could be affected if funds were not released immediately. College managements said they were ready for talks but would not resume classes without firm commitments from the government.