Hyderabad, February 04: The state government has set up a group of ministers (GoM) to study the demand of managements of private professional colleges to clear up arrears of fee reimbursement and scholarships.
The ministers will hold discussions with the managements and students to resolve the issue apart from suggesting guidelines to be followed for fee reimbursement and payment of scholarships.
The GoM comprises of minority welfare minister Md Ahmedullah, social welfare minister P Satyanarayana, backward class welfare minister Basawaraju Saraiah, tribal welfare minister P Balraju, higher and technical education Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, school education minister K Parthasarathy, medical and health minister D L Ravindra Reddy, transport minister B Satyanarayana, and revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy.Principal secretary for social welfare Raymond Peter will be convener.
The Consortium of Engineering and Professional Colleges Managements Association (CEPCMA) has threatened to shutdown of colleges from February 15 if the government did not clear arrears amounting to Rs 3,737 crore.
But the government blames the managements for being lax in forwarding the students’ applications.
Of the 24.5 lakh students eligible for fee reimbursement, the government has received only 12 lakh applications till date. The remaining applications are reportedly still with the college managements.
The government on Thursday used the uproar over the suicide of a 17-year-old engineering student G Varalaxmi — allegedly because her scholarship had been delayed by the government — to press its case that there has been no laxity on its part.
Transport minister B Satyanarayana said the girl herself had stated in her dying declaration that she had suffered accidental burns when an LPG cylinder exploded.
”Our inquiries revealed that her college management did not include her name in the list of 143 SC students who had applied for scholarships,” he said.
The minister appealed to the college managements not to be negligent in ensuring that all eligible students submit their applications for fee reimbursement and scholarships.
He pointed out that the last date for fresh applicants has been extended till Feb. 7.
–Agencies