HYDERABAD: On Thursday, the Telangana High Court instructed private medical colleges and relevant authorities not to require appellants to pay their tuition fees in order to continue attending classes.
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara was reviewing a series of writ appeals that contested a common ruling issued on December 27, 2024. This ruling had dismissed petitions against the steep increase in fees for postgraduate medical and dental programs in Telangana for the 2023-2026 academic period.
The fee adjustments mandated by the contested government orders led to a dramatic rise in tuition fees, escalating from Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 24 lakh annually for management quota seats, and from Rs 3.2 lakh to Rs 7.75 lakh per year for convener quota seats.
Senior advocate S Ravi and advocate Sama Sandeep Reddy, representing the appellants, highlighted that during the previous academic block (2020-2023), the High Court had permitted colleges to collect only 50% to 60% of the prescribed fees while litigation was ongoing. In the current situation, an interim order was issued allowing the collection of only 60-70% of the fees.
Despite this, the colleges were demanding the remaining fees from students and preventing them from attending classes. After considering the arguments presented, the bench ordered the colleges to stop insisting on the outstanding fees and to allow students to continue their classes. The case has been adjourned for further proceedings in ten days.
Waqf Board criticized for neglecting HC directives
The Telangana High Court has expressed strong disapproval of the Waqf Board and petitioners regarding their management of religious and administrative issues.
Justice Nagesh Bhimapaka conveyed his dissatisfaction with the Board’s conduct, stating that it has overlooked the essential principles set forth in the Holy Quran.
During the proceedings, Justice Bhimapaka noted that both the Waqf Board and the petitioner had not adhered to the true essence of the Quran. He emphasized that the Board was failing to act in the best interests of the underprivileged and referenced verses from the Quran to substantiate his remarks.
The case involves several petitions submitted against the Waqf Board last year, contesting its decisions and alleged mismanagement. The High Court had previously issued interim orders, which included the confiscation of an Ibadat Khana and the establishment of a management committee. However, the court noted that these orders were not executed, leading to strong criticism from Justice Bhimapaka.
The judge expressed dissatisfaction, questioning the Board’s dedication to fulfilling its duties and warned of potential legal repercussions if the court’s directives continued to be disregarded.
HC issues notices to state regarding farmers’ ex-gratia claims
On Thursday, the Telangana High Court issued notices to the state government, represented by the chief secretary, principal secretary (Revenue), and collectors from 23 districts, in response to a public interest litigation filed by social activist Bannuru Kondala Reddy concerning the non-implementation of GO 421.
This government order requires the establishment of a three-member committee tasked with verifying claims from the dependents of farmers who have died by suicide. The petitioner also raised concerns about the failure to disburse the ex-gratia amount of ₹6 lakh as stipulated in GO 173 dated September 22, 2015, and GO 194 dated October 29, 2015.
The petition points out the excessive delay in verifying 200 final reports submitted from various districts. The petitioner requested the court to instruct the district collectors to hasten the verification process and approve the outstanding ex-gratia payments. After reviewing the relevant facts of the case, the court issued notices to the respondents, directing them to submit their responses. The case was adjourned for six weeks for further proceedings.
