Hyderabad

Leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) staged a protest near Gunpark on Monday, demanding the immediate clearance of pending student fee reimbursements.

Addressing the gathering, BRS MLA KP Vivekanand Goud alleged that nearly ₹12,000 crore in reimbursements remain unpaid even after two-and-a-half years of the Congress government in the state. He said the delay has severely impacted students from economically weaker sections, including SC, ST, BC, and minority communities.

Goud urged the government to release the dues during the ongoing budget session, warning that continued delays are affecting students’ academic futures. He added that many students are unable to obtain their certificates after completing their courses due to pending payments.

Another BRS leader, Palla Rajeshwar, highlighted that the fee reimbursement scheme was expanded after the formation of Telangana under former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao to include a wider range of beneficiaries beyond SC and ST communities.

He explained that the scheme includes two components—Maintenance Fund (MTF), which is credited directly to students, and Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF), which is paid to educational institutions. According to him, around 10 to 12 lakh students benefit annually, with disbursements amounting to roughly ₹2,500 crore each year.

Rajeshwar further alleged that no payments have been made to either students or institutions over the past two-and-a-half years, leading to mounting arrears. He claimed that earlier dues of around ₹2,500–3,000 crore have now risen to nearly ₹12,000 crore over multiple academic years.

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He also criticised the state budget allocation of ₹4,000 crore for the scheme, calling it insufficient. Referring to past protests by students and educational institutions, he said their concerns have remained unaddressed despite repeated assurances from the government.