No Immediate Hike in Engineering College Fees in Telangana, Confirms CM Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has announced that there will be no immediate hike in engineering college fees in the state. The first phase of EAMCET counselling for BE/BTech courses, which begins Saturday, will proceed as per the existing 2022–23 fee structure fixed by the Telangana Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC).

This decision comes amid growing concerns over fee burden and irregularities in private engineering institutions across the state.

High-Level Committee to Review Fee Hike Criteria

The state government will soon form a high-level official committee to examine parameters for a possible future engineering fee hike. A Government Order (GO) detailing the committee’s constitution, mandate, and time frame for report submission is expected within a week.

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The Chief Minister emphasized that teaching quality, infrastructure, labs, and faculty standards must be thoroughly evaluated before revising fees. The committee will also consider legal precedents like the Supreme Court judgments in Islamic Academy vs Karnataka and PA Inamdar vs Maharashtra, which lay down norms for fair fee determination.

Fee Revision Postponed Despite 2024–25 Schedule

Although the fee revision was originally scheduled to be implemented starting academic year 2024–25, the government has deferred it due to:

• Pending fee reimbursement commitments
• Anticipated criticism from the opposition and parent groups

As a result, students admitted in 2025 will continue paying the same fee fixed during 2022–23, ensuring immediate financial relief for thousands of aspirants and their families.

Students’ Forum Demands Transparency and Reforms

Welcoming the government’s decision, the Students’ Protection Forum urged stricter regulation of private engineering colleges. In a letter to the Chief Minister, the forum highlighted several irregularities, including:

• Submission of manipulated data in Fact-Finding Committee (FFC) reports
• Temporary salary credits to faculty for compliance, later taken back
• Poor infrastructure despite claimed investments
• Lack of transparency in faculty hiring and retention

They demanded a re-inspection of all colleges affiliated with JNTU-Hyderabad and autonomous institutions and called for the public release of FFC reports from the last three years.

Government to Examine Vigilance Reports from Previous BRS Regime

The CM also directed officials to revisit reports submitted by the vigilance and enforcement department during the BRS government’s tenure, which exposed serious discrepancies in private colleges.

This is seen as part of the state’s broader initiative to improve higher education standards while ensuring affordability and accountability in private institutions.

The Telangana government’s move to temporarily halt engineering fee hikes and initiate a transparent review process has been widely appreciated by students and civil society. With a committee being set up to ensure fairness and quality in fee determination, stakeholders are hopeful for a more student-centric education policy in the state.