Students Allege Fake Data in Fee Hike Bids
Demand re-verification of reports and hike in fee reimbursement from Rs 35,000 to Rs 70,000
Hyderabad: Student groups in Telangana have accused private engineering colleges of inflating placement records and forging salary data to justify fee hikes, and demanded that no fee hike be allowed in private engineering colleges until all reports are thoroughly re-verified.
In a representation to the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) on Tuesday, the groups alleged that several colleges were submitting misleading data to the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) and Fact-Finding Committees (FFC) to push for higher tuition fees. They demanded stringent scrutiny and action against institutions manipulating figures.
“Placement reports are being faked to show inflated success rates. Colleges are even quoting fake salary details to create a justification for higher fees,” said student leader J. Dilip, who was part of the delegation.
The students also alleged that B-category seats were being sold in violation of admission norms and sought immediate action against such practices. They demanded that FFC reports be independently re-verified every year before any fee hike is permitted, and colleges found submitting falsified data be penalised and disqualified from proposing fee increases.
Alongside these demands, they raised concerns over inadequate fee reimbursement. “The current reimbursement amount of `35,000 does not reflect actual tuition costs. It must be revised to `70,000 to support deserving students,” a student leader said.
TSCHE chairman Prof. V. Balakista Reddy, who met the students at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) Hyderabad, said the committee reviewing fee structures was already in session. He is learnt to have assured them that arbitrary hikes were unlikely and promised to convey their concerns to the state government.
