₹6,400 crore fee dues, students in distress: Y S Sharmila accuses Chandrababu Govt of betraying Andhra's poor

In a strongly worded social media statement, Sharmila contrasted the fee reimbursement scheme introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy with its present condition, alleging that a programme once celebrated for making higher education accessible to poor families had become a source of financial hardship and uncertainty.

“During YSR's rule, fee reimbursement was a celebration of education for the poor. Under Chandrababu Naidu's administration, thousands of crores in unpaid dues have made education itself a burden,” she said.

The Congress leader questioned the government's priorities, pointing to its extensive publicity surrounding investment commitments worth lakhs of crores while allegedly failing to clear outstanding payments to educational institutions.

Sharmila alleged that fee reimbursement arrears had accumulated over the past three years, exceeding ₹6,000 crore, and demanded the immediate release of the entire ₹6,400 crore in a single instalment. She argued that the government's inability to settle the dues demonstrated a lack of commitment to the educational aspirations of students from economically weaker sections.

The APCC president also reminded Chandrababu Naidu of the coalition's reported election promise to clear all pending fee reimbursement dues within 100 days of assuming office. She questioned why the assurance had not been fulfilled and sought an explanation regarding the proposed mechanism for transferring reimbursement funds directly into college accounts.

Raising concerns over the difficulties faced by students, Sharmila alleged that several private educational institutions were withholding academic certificates because of unpaid fees. She said students who had completed their courses were being forced to repeatedly approach college managements to obtain certificates essential for employment and further education.

According to Sharmila, the situation has created considerable distress among students and their families, particularly those who depend entirely on government financial assistance to pursue professional and higher education.

She expressed serious concern over reports of students attempting suicide in places such as Chittoor, allegedly following pressure associated with unpaid college fees and difficulties in obtaining certificates. Sharmila criticised the government for what she described as attempts to attribute such incidents to unrelated causes rather than addressing the financial and administrative problems raised by students.

These allegations concerning individual incidents and their causes have not been independently established, and no official response from the government was included in her statement.

The Congress leader accused the coalition government of failing to recognise the consequences of delayed reimbursement payments, arguing that the issue extended beyond financial administration to the fundamental right of disadvantaged students to pursue education without harassment.

On behalf of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, Sharmila placed five demands before Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. She called for the immediate settlement of ₹6,400 crore in pending dues, stringent action against colleges withholding certificates, unconditional release of academic documents to students, special measures to prevent harassment of students and parents, and uninterrupted implementation of the fee reimbursement scheme.

She maintained that educational institutions should not be allowed to penalise students for delays in government payments and insisted that the administration must establish a mechanism to protect beneficiaries from coercive practices.

The fee reimbursement scheme, introduced under Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, was designed to expand access to higher education for students from economically disadvantaged families, particularly those pursuing professional courses. Over the years, the programme has remained an important component of Andhra Pradesh's educational welfare framework.

Sharmila's latest criticism comes amid the state government's efforts to attract major domestic and international investments and promote Andhra Pradesh as a leading destination for industrial development.

Questioning the contrast between investment announcements and unpaid educational assistance, she argued that economic development would have little meaning if the government failed to protect the educational opportunities of its own young people.

The APCC president demanded immediate intervention by the Chief Minister, warning that continued delays could deepen financial distress among students and undermine the purpose of the fee reimbursement programme.

Her statement has brought renewed political attention to the issue of pending educational assistance, with the Congress seeking accountability from the coalition government over its promises, expenditure priorities and the protection of students' interests.