HYDERABAD: The higher education department’s decision to introduce biometric attendance and CCTVs in classrooms in all professional and degree colleges has been put off until till the next academic year. Although authorities had decided to use the technology from December (start of second semester) the plan hit a roadblock.

The delay in release of fee reimbursement dues (amounting to nearly Rs 1800 crore) resulted in colleges expressing their helplessness to implement the decision. Most of the managements are staring at a financial crisis, with some not being in a position to pay full salaries to their faculty.
“At this juncture, it is not possible for college managements to invest lakhs of rupees for procuring the devices. The nearly thousand-odd degree and PG colleges in Telangana have conveyed the decision to higher authorities. Our woes will not end until fee reimbursement dues are released,” he said.

With the government reeling under the impact of demonetisation that led to a drastic fall in the state’s revenues over the last two weeks, release of fee reimbursement arrears is very unlikely.

The president of MBA and MCA Colleges Association Kotla Sudhir said that they had met a key minister regarding the release of arrears, but did not get any positive response.