3 min readHyderabadJan 30, 2026 10:35 AM IST
First published on: Jan 30, 2026 at 10:23 AM IST
The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the Telangana Minorities Welfare Department, represented by its principal secretary, to come up with a grievance redressal mechanism “to ensure that students do not have to knock on the door of the courts individually,” if their certificates are withheld by colleges awaiting reimbursement of students’ tuition fees or disbursement of scholarships from the state government.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin, while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), noted that Minorities Welfare Department’s counter affidavit contains a circular dated February 23, 2024, to all the principals of Affiliated Private Colleges and Private Universities stating that stringent action will be initiated if the colleges are found withholding the original certificates awaiting reimbursement from the government.
The bench questioned the government’s enforcement mechanism and sought to know if the Minorities Welfare Department has received any complaints against defaulting colleges and the action initiated. “What are the steps that are put in place to ensure or to ascertain that institutions are following that circular? Any grievance cell, any toll-free number, or any help desk?” the bench asked.
“Retention of a certificate for a period of six months may cost an opportunity, it cannot be compensated later,” the bench remarked, while stressing that students studying on scholarships due to inability to afford fees are forced to “approach a judicial institution for release of the certificate which is for non-payment of fees” and thereby incurring additional costs and litigation burdens.
The court also observed that a sanction of a certain amount is currently pending with the state Finance Department (respondent No.2). The court gave two weeks to the Finance Department to respond, noting that it has not yet filed a counter-affidavit. The case was adjourned for further hearing to March 3.
‘Prohibit colleges from withholding certificates as collateral’
The PIL filed by Association for Socio Economic Empowerment of the Marginalised (ASEEM) and Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) Telangana in 2025, urged the court to compel authorities to immediately pay out all pending scholarships and tuition fee reimbursements for eligible students, while seeking directions to prohibit colleges from withholding students’ original educational certificates as “collateral” for unpaid fees, and ensure their immediate return. The PIL also sought the establishment of a time-bound, effective system to resolve disputes regarding delayed or unpaid funds for both students and institutions.
The PIL also sought directions for proactive online disclosure of fund distribution and pending claims, sanctioned lists, and Government Orders (GOs) under the Right to Information Act. It also sought directions to the respondents to place on record the system, guidelines, and criteria adopted for the release of scholarship funds to various colleges, and to demonstrate that such release is being done in a transparent, timely, fair, and non-discriminatory manner, without bias, favouritism, or arbitrariness, in each quarter/academic session.
The division bench of the Telangana HC found that the single judge had erred by failing to address the fundamental issue of jurisdiction. 
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