Telangana Private Colleges Announce Indefinite Strike from November 3 over ₹900 Crore Fee Reimbursement Arrears

Hyderabad, Oct 2025 : Private professional colleges in Telangana have announced an indefinite strike from November 3, demanding that the state government release long-pending fee reimbursement arrears. The decision comes after repeated assurances from the government failed to materialize, leaving colleges struggling with severe financial strain.

The Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education (FATHI) on Wednesday formally sent strike notices to Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao. The Federation demanded that the government release at least ₹900 crore in arrears before November 1, warning that colleges would be forced to close if their demands were not met.

Earlier, the Federation had set an October 12 deadline for the release of dues and had threatened to strike from October 13. Although the colleges — including engineering, pharmacy, nursing, MBA, MCA, and B.Ed institutions — briefly went on strike on September 15, they called it off the same day following assurances from the government.

However, according to FATHI, the government has failed to fulfill its commitments. The Federation said that Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka, who had led discussions with college representatives, had promised to release ₹600 crore by September 21–22, but only ₹200 crore was actually released. The remaining amount, along with an additional ₹1,200 crore, was reportedly promised to be cleared by Diwali, but no progress has been made.

FATHI has now insisted that any further dialogue on the issue be held directly with the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The Federation has also warned that, if necessary, it will organize a ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ protest in collaboration with students to press for their demands.

Last month, the Federation revealed that total fee reimbursement arrears of around ₹10,000 crore remain pending, severely affecting the functioning of private institutions. It urged the government to immediately release ₹1,200 crore linked to already generated payment tokens, saying colleges are struggling to pay staff salaries and manage operations.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticized the state government for “playing with the future of students” by delaying payments. He accused the government of pressuring and blackmailing college managements to remain silent. Expressing support for the striking institutions, the Minister said, “The BJP stands firmly with the colleges. They should not postpone their strike this time.”

As tensions escalate, students and college administrators across Telangana are bracing for another round of academic disruption unless the government acts swiftly to resolve the crisis.