Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday lambasted the State government for its failure in controlling the rising school and college fees, and for maintaining stoic silence over the recommendations of the Fee Regulation Committee. “The committee appointed by the government headed by former Osmania University professor Tirupathi Rao has recommended 10% hike in fees annually, but not a single educational institution in the State is adhering to it even as the official machinery looks the other way,” said party president K. Laxman at a press conference here on Wednesday.
The TRS government had made tall claims when it came to power five years ago on ensuring affordable and quality education to all sections of the society, but it has done quite the opposite by giving untrammelled freedom to corporate colleges in deciding the fees, he charged. The BJP leader said the fees being charged by private schools and colleges in Hyderabad was much more than what was being charged in other metros, including Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. “Ever since Telangana was formed, there has been a rise in the fee of up to 400%, which amounts to ₹2.5 lakh annually at an average. Collection of education fees is the highest in Telangana, while response to the issue from the government is nil,” he said.
The government’s inaction despite protest demonstrations by parents at the start of every academic year in the last few years has only emboldened the private managements to hike 20-30% each year, he said.
