Student Union Protests Cause Confusion Over School & Colleges Closures in Telangana

Hyderabad, 23 July 2025: Wednesday morning brought chaos to Telangana’s districts and towns due to a protest shutdown (“bandh”). In Hyderabad city, the announcement of this statewide shutdown by various student groups also surprised parents and junior college students.

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Since Tuesday night, parents had been calling school and college principals, worried about whether schools would open on Wednesday morning. No official announcement had been made by the government.

Meanwhile, student groups like the All India Students Federation (AISF) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) called for a complete shutdown across Telangana on Wednesday, July 23rd. The protest aims to highlight major problems in education, including:

• Rising school fees
• Delayed scholarship payments
• Poor infrastructure in government and aided institutions

Uncertainty for Students and Parents:

The shutdown call created confusion. Will schools and colleges stay open? While the Telangana government hasn’t officially declared a holiday, many schools and junior colleges (both government and private) are likely to close as a precaution. In the past, similar shutdowns called by student unions have seen widespread support, with many institutions suspending classes to avoid trouble and keep students safe.

What the Protesters Want:

The protesting student unions have several demands:

1. Immediate release of pending scholarships and fee reimbursements.
2. Better bus services (TSRTC) for students, though disruptions might still happen in some areas.
3. Ending the monopoly of schools over uniforms and textbooks.
4. Improving infrastructure in hostels.

Pressure on Government and Schools:

The unions are pressuring the government and school administrations to meet these demands. They believe schools unfairly force parents to buy expensive things:

• Textbook Monopoly: Schools force parents to buy new sets of textbooks every year, often costing over ₹5000 per set, directly from the school. Parents suspect schools have deals with specific publishers/printers, allowing both the school and the suppliers to make huge profits.
• Annual Exploitation: This forced purchase is seen as bullying (“dadagiri”) happening every year, right under the government’s nose, essentially looting parents in the name of education.

A Hopeful Alternative?

The protesters point out that if Hyderabad had strong government schools like those in Maharashtra and Karnataka, this bullying by private schools might not be so rampant. Institutions like TMREIS and Owaisi Schools of Excellence are good examples, but they serve only a very small number of students compared to the need.

The Big Question:

Now, everyone is watching: Will this shutdown actually make the government and private schools change? Or will the dust of time and circumstances simply bury these issues again, making people forget?