AISF seeks release of ₹6,400 crore in fee reimbursement dues

Members of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) staged a demonstration at the NTR District Collectorate in Vijayawada on Monday, demanding the immediate release of pending fee reimbursement dues.

Addressing the gathering, AISF State president G. Valaraju, vice-president M. Sai Kumar and assistant secretary N. Nagabhushanam said that despite highlighting the issue multiple times, the posts of wardens, cooks and other staff in welfare hostels have remained vacant for years. This has affected students from rural and tribal areas and has also increased the dropout rates.

The AISF leaders also expressed concern over the alleged shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff in universities and criticised the government for not filling vacant posts.

The leaders claimed that fee reimbursement arrears amounting to over ₹6,400 crore had been pending, and demanded that the government release the dues immediately. The leaders also urged the government to establish government junior, degree, polytechnic and ITI colleges in all mandal headquarters to improve access to higher education.

They later submitted a memorandum to the Joint Collector seeking a resolution to various issues plaguing the education sector in the State.