Hyderabad: The Congress party has blamed the TRS Government for closure of 64 minority engineering, management, MCA and Pharma Colleges across Telangana during the last five years. It also demanded establishment of an independent Commission to probe into the factors that led to their closure.
Addressing a press conference, along with Hyderabad Congress Committee Minorities Dept Chairman Sameer Waliullah, at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Official Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin said that the number of private unaided minority institutions in Telangana has reduced significantly ever since TRS party came to power in 2014. Citing statistics from All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Nizamuddin informed that number of Engineering & Technology colleges has come down from 56 in 2014-15 to just 32 in 2019-20. It means 24 minority engineering colleges have closed under TRS rule. Similarly, 17 Management colleges have closed with their number getting reduced from 67 in 2014-15 to 50 in 2019-20. Further, 19 MCA and 3 Pharma minority colleges have also closed down in the last 5 years.
Nizamuddin said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao came to power in 2014 on the slogan of ‘KG to PG Free Education for All’. He had also promised 12 per cent reservation for Muslims in jobs and education. “Everyone, especially Muslims believed him and voted for TRS. Unfortunately, TRS Govt implemented the hidden agenda of RSS and BJP and targeted minority institutions in the last 5 years. Due to non-implementation of ‘Fee Reimbursement’ scheme and Scholarship, minority students were discouraged from taking up higher education,” he alleged.
The TPCC Spokesperson pointed out that as per the AICTE data, as many as 41 ‘Private Unaided’ educational institutions were closed in the last 5 years. In Telangana, there were 117 ‘Private Unaided’ AICTE approved institutions in 2014-15. But in 2019-20, there are just 76 institutions, a cut by nearly 35%. The intake in colleges should ideally increase in every year academic year. But in Telangana, the intake has decreased from 57,536 in 2014-15 to just 32,517 in 2019-20. The intake has decreased by 25,019 seats which is more than 43%. The passing out rate has also decreased from 47% in 2012-13 to just 39% in 2018-19. Average number of students getting placements has also reduced significantly, he said.
The Congress leader alleged that by not clearing Fee Reimbursement dues, TRS Govt pushed private minority colleges into financial crisis which ultimately resulted in their closure. By not giving Scholarships, KCR Govt discouraged minority students from going for higher education. The enrolment ratio too has gone down in private minority colleges. From 41.7% in 2014-15, it came down to just 36.51% in 2018-19.
Nizamuddin said that the situation at the national level, under the BJP-led NDA Government, was no different. The Congress leader said that the official statistics have exposes the true face of TRS and its anti-minority shade. “If TRS Govt is really sincere towards minorities, then it must appoint an independent Commission to probe into the factors responsible for closure of private minority colleges; Reasons behind cut in intake during the last 5 years; Reasons behind drop in enrolment ratio; Factors responsible for low pass percentage in minority colleges and to ascertain as to why students of private minority colleges were not getting proper placements,” Nizamuddin demanded. (NSS)
