Hyderabad: The ongoing engineering fee hike dispute created fresh uncertainty for students and parents during the engineering admissions process in Telangana after several private colleges approached the High Court seeking higher fees.
The issue resurfaced as admission counselling got underway without complete clarity on the final fee structure. Students faced confusion after fee details on the admissions portal were revised following court proceedings involving 18 engineering colleges.
There are 157 private engineering colleges in the state, and the government recently finalised fee structures for the academic years 2025-26 to 2027-28. Of these, 70 colleges retained the fees fixed during the previous block period in 2022. Fees were reduced in 19 colleges, while 63 colleges received fee increases under the revised structure.
The 18 colleges that challenged the revised fees earlier approached the High Court, which referred the matter to the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) for further examination. After conducting fresh hearings, TAFRC decided that the earlier fee structure should continue for those institutions.
High Court relief in engineering fee hike cases
The colleges again moved the High Court, seeking relief against the committee’s decision. The court subsequently allowed them to collect fees applicable during the previous block period until a final verdict is delivered.
The High Court also directed the admissions convener to clearly display on the counselling website that the tentative engineering fee hike proposed by TAFRC could come into effect if the final judgment favours the college managements. As a result, students who pay the existing fee now may later have to pay the difference if higher fees are approved.
The court’s interim order has prolonged uncertainty for candidates from the counselling stage through admission. Following relief granted to the initial 18 colleges, 10 more engineering colleges approached the High Court on Tuesday. Officials expect additional institutions to take a similar route, potentially expanding the legal dispute.
Meanwhile, the state government has prepared to contest the challenges. Technical Education Department officials are ready to file counter-affidavits, arguing that TAFRC finalised the fees after considering all relevant factors. The government is expected to defend the committee’s decisions and oppose further revisions in court.
