Telangana High Court slams delay in minority scholarships, seeks accountability
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court sharply criticised the state government on Thursday for repeated delays in disbursing post-matric scholarship funds to minority students. Acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by ASEEM and Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) Telangana, the bench led by Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin said the Finance Department’s inaction effectively denies students their right to education.
Finance Department under scrutiny for delay
Petitioners’ counsel Syed Munees Abedi pointed out that while the Minority Welfare Department submitted its reply, the Finance Department ignored multiple opportunities to respond. He explained that the department had already received fund requests, but failed to act, leaving files stalled.
The bench condemned this as a recurring issue that imposed heavy burdens on financially weak students. Judges stated that when colleges do not receive payments, they withhold certificates — a practice the court called unjust and unacceptable.
Colleges warned against holding certificates
The court observed that even a six-month delay in releasing certificates can irreparably damage a student’s career. Despite a government circular issued in February 2024 barring colleges from withholding certificates, many institutions continue to ignore it.
Judges questioned what enforcement mechanism existed to penalise these violations. They also criticised the situation that forces underprivileged students to approach courts or human rights commissions to retrieve their own academic records, thus compounding their financial stress.
The court directed the Finance Department to submit its response within two weeks. It scheduled the next hearing for March 3, 2026.
Court orders grievance system to assist students
In addition, the bench instructed the Minority Welfare Department to create a formal grievance redressal system. This could include a toll-free number or help desk to assist students facing arbitrary actions from colleges.
The PIL, filed by ASEEM and SIO Telangana, called for the timely release of scholarship funds and the creation of a permanent solution to prevent such delays in the future.