Hyderabad, February 16: The Supreme Court on Monday put the state government in jitters by directing it to clear the fee reimbursement and scholarships arrears payable to private colleges.
Apart from exploring options of raising the cash and cajoling the college managements to be patient, the government threw hints that it would crack the whip on colleges that do not have the mandated faculty and infrastructure.
While directing the government to clear the arrears immediately, the apex court rejected its plea to be given three months’ time to do so. It also pulled it up for entertaining the notion that it would stand guarantee for the colleges if they took loans from banks in lieu of the fee arrears.
However, the court gave the government one week to file an affidavit in this regard.
The colleges went to the apex court to wrest arrears of fees that the government bankrolls for students of economically weaker sections.
These amount to Rs 3,000 crore. With its finances being in a parlous state, the government is at its wits’ end in mobilise funds.
Higher and technical education minister Damodar Rajanarasimha told reporters in New Delhi that the government is likely to come to an agreement with the managements when they convene with it on Feb. 16.
Social welfare minister P Satyanarayana, however, talked tough and hinted that the government might crack the whip on engineering and professional colleges that are not up to scratch.
–Agencies