TSBIE tells NHRC 194 jr colleges inspected, Rs 1.66 cr penalties imposed for lapses

Hyderabad: In response to the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) over the complaints that students are bound to live in trauma and get exploited by private colleges in the name of education, on July 24, the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education informed the Commission that a total of 194 junior colleges have been inspected and certain lapses were found with them. Penalties of around Rs 1,66,86,000 have been imposed on these colleges as per the Board norms.

The Board of Intermediate Education also informed the commission that “The affiliation of Narayana and Sri Chaitanya junior colleges were restricted till the payment of penalties and ratification of lapses. The show-cause notices have been issued to all those colleges where unauthorised hostels were being run on their premises. Also, penalties have been levied on colleges for running classes on holidays. An orientation programme was also conducted with students and parents to understand their problems.”

In December, 2017, a petitioner, Sravan Kumar, filled a complaint in NHRC alleging that in the past few years, hundreds of students in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had committed suicide, as these students were bound to live in trauma and get exploited by private colleges in the name of education.

The matter rests with the Secretary, Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education, who had sent a detailed report on November 3, 2018.

After taking cognizance of the matter, the NHRC asked for the reply from the Chief Secretary of Government of Telangana and Chief Secretary of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. In the reply to NHRC, secretary, the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education stated that “various steps have been taken by the Government for regulating educational system and for protection of the human rights of the students studying in various Intermediate colleges in the state of Telangana.”

However, Sravan Kumar alleged that “despite directions issued by the state ministry of education, these private colleges and TSBIE are still violating the directions. The students studying in these private colleges being run in small places without adequate infrastructure are bound to face the harassment and torture in the name of studies and hope for a good future. No proper enquiry has been conducted in the matter and report is evasive.”

After that, the Commission directed the Secretary, TSBIE, to submit a fresh report with regard to the pitiable conditions in hostels in the state of Telangana along with a response to the allegations levelled by Sravan Kumar.

In January, 2020, the Secretary, TSBIE, requested the Commission to grant 30 days more time to submit the complete report in the matter.

Even after a lapse of 3 months, no requisite report has been received by the Commission. The Commission again directed the TSBIE to submit the requisite report within four weeks positively failing which coercive process may be initiated against him. Responding to this, the TSBIE replied to the court on July 24.