Andhra Pradesh government has urged the Telangana government to provide clarity on the issue of nativity since the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act stipulated that the pre-bifurcation arrangements would continue for 10 years in the educational institutions.
Replying to a question on fee reimbursement at a press conference soon after he entered his chambers in the Secretariat, Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development Minister Ganta Srinvasa Rao said doubts were not yet clarified on nativity issue and pointed out that Seemandhra students born here were pursuing their education. Besides, Hyderabad would be the common capital for 10 years. “We will talk with the Telangana Minister concerned,” he added.
Mr. Rao sought to assure students from Seemandhra that Andhra Pradesh government would reimburse their fee in case the Telangana government did not do it. “There is no need for any tension or anxiety. Seemandhra students need not worry. If Telangana government does not pay we will pay”. He said the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was also planning to call an all-party meeting in this regard.
He said Mr. Naidu was also keen on bringing about radical reforms in the education sector to improve quality.
Unnecessary apprehensions
Controversy surrounding the ‘nativity’ of the student for applying the reimbursement scheme has created unnecessary apprehensions among students and parents, but the Telangana government is clear on following the existing norms.
As per the norms, students’ immediate previous four years of education will decide the local status and if that is fractured, the highest period of study in a particular region in the previous seven years is taken into account.
After the State bifurcation, some new definitions are being floated by various groups like considering the parents’ native place to decide the local status of the student irrespective of the latter’s place of birth or education.
But the Telangana government has neither floated any such idea nor approved it, affirmed a senior official.
“The government has only said that AP students admitted in the 15 per cent non-local (unreserved) quota will not be extended reimbursement benefit from The Telangana government,” an official made it clear. Similarly, Telangana students getting admitted in AP colleges have to seek benefit from the Telangana government only. “All other theories being floated are untrue.”
The APSCHE Chairman L. Venugopal Reddy advised the students not to have unnecessary fears and not to worry as the existing norms for deciding the local and non-local status will continue without any deviation.
Figures show that around 39,900 students from AP are studying in colleges in Telangana under the 15 per cent non-local quota. Similarly, around 18,000 students from Telangana are studying in AP colleges. The number may reduce this year in both given the apprehensions.
Officials say the A.P Reorganisation Act is also clear on this issue. Any deviation from the existing policy may end up in courts and the Telangana Government doesn’t want such headaches when it doesn’t lose much financially due to fewer Telangana students in AP colleges. Moreover, financial burden of the scheme is less when compared to the AP Government due to bifurcation. - R. Ravikanth Reddy
