There is good news for engineering aspirants in Telangana planning to get a seat under the management quota as the government has put an end to heavy tuition fee charged by private unaided colleges by issuing a fresh set of guidelines this year.

For years now, private unaided colleges in Telangana have been charging as high as Rs 3 to 10 lakh for BTech seats under the management quota, which also comprises of 15% of NRI quota. However this year, the state government has barred unaided colleges from charging any excessive fee other than the one prescribed by the Telangana Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC). “From this year onwards, colleges will have to collect the same amount for the management quota seats as prescribed for the convenor quota. Colleges can no longer take donations or charge any additional fee apart from the one prescribed by the government,” said Rama Rao, consultant of TAFRC.

This decision comes days after the Telangana government announced the fee structure for all the engineering colleges in the state.

As per the new guidelines, parents can lodge an official complaint with the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE), which is the competent body to regulate all private unaided colleges in the state. Colleges violating the fee structure are liable for action under AP Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Prohibition of Capitation fee) Act, 1983, (adopted by the Government of Telangana).

This is a huge relief for many students, who score low or fail to clear the Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET), to gain entry into top private colleges through the management quota. While in 2014, there were nearly 12,000 students who sought admissions through the management quota, in 2015, this number went up to nearly 15,000 students. Although there are 89,055 seats in private colleges, there are high chances that many low-scorers may go for the management quota seats after final seat allotments by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad concludes.

As per the fresh guidelines issued by the TSCHE, college managements have to facilitate a web portal for filling up of B category seats. Colleges have to notify the details of courses offered with intake, schedule of admissions (date wise), and registration fee for the application, minority or non-minority status etc. Admissions under the management quota have to be merit-based and details of selected students have to upload on the web portal. Colleges have to submit the detailed list of admitted candidates to the TSCHE, who is authorised to reject the list if applications of candidates are not fulfilling the required conditions as per the selection process.