Private colleges in Telangana ended their strike after the state government agreed to move forward with fee‑reimbursement payments.
The Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI) announced that the indefinite walk‑out would stop following talks with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who also handles the finance portfolio.
Key points of the deal
- The government will release Rs 600 crore of the fee reimbursement that the Federation is demanding.
- FATHI received a promise that another Rs 300 crore will be paid soon.
- The last time the government paid, it had already disbursed Rs 600 crore out of the Rs 1,500 crore the college group is seeking.
The background
From Monday, about 2,000 professional colleges – including engineering, pharmacy, MBA, MCA, B‑Ed and nursing schools – had shut down across the state.
FATHI said the total arrears under the fee‑reimbursement scheme amount to roughly Rs 10,000 crore. They had insisted on freeing 50 % of this sum right away, and wanted the remaining Rs 5,000 crore to be paid in monthly instalments of Rs 500 crore over ten months.
The strike would have continued until those conditions were met, the Federation had warned.
Moving forward
The state government set up a committee to pool the finances needed for the scheme, appointing both officials and FATHI representatives. The committee will look at how the Trust Bank could help manage a long‑term free reimbursement programme.
FATHI urged the committee to deliver its report within one month, not the three months originally announced.
Other developments
Later that day, FATHI filed a petition with the High Court after police denied them permission to hold a meeting for about 70,000 college teachers at LB Stadium on November 8. The ban was tied to the Model Code of Conduct that applies to the upcoming by‑election in Jubilee Hills on November 11.
The court ordered police to resolve the matter within a week, while FATHI suggested an alternate venue for the gathering.
The decision to halt the strike marks a significant step toward easing tensions between Telangana’s private education sector and the state government.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
