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The Supreme Court on Monday directed both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to complete the admission process for engineering, agriculture and medical common entrance test (Eamcet) by the end of August and begin classes for the current academic session from September first week.
While stating this, the apex court referred the matter for next hearing on August 11.
The court asked the two governments to insulate students’ education from the impact of bifurcation and also to refrain from politicising the matter. Further, with the recent notification being the first after the state’s bifurcation, the court suggested the matter be dealt in a special manner.
Reacting to the SC ruling, additional attorney general, Srinivas, said issues pertaining to nativity and other related matters should be undertaken in accordance with the AP bifurcation Act and presidential orders.
While welcoming the SC’s observations, the Andhra Pradesh government urged the Telangana government to respect the apex court’s decision in the interest of students.
In an official release today, the AP government said the Telangana government was unnecessarily creating a controversy out of the nativity issue. Parakala Prabhakar, media advisor to AP government, said the Telangana government is wrong in saying that AP has no the right to talk about the fee reimbursement.
Though the Telangana government had not cited any objections to the court’s observations, it has assured students belonging to the state of no loss in opportunities. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) member of Parliament Vinod Kumar said the state government would make its stand clear on counselling after receiving a copy of the court’s order.
The Telangana government, in a recent GO (government order) stated students whose parents were born after November 1, 1956, would be considered eligible for its financial assistance scheme (FAST).
Last week, it had also issued orders creating Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE), thus effectively bifurcating the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). The TSCHE comes into effect from June 2, the appointed day of Telangana state.
Officials said the Telangana government would now argue that since the council had been established it would conduct its own counselling without deviating from the existing admission norms like opening 15 per cent seats to students of Andhra Pradesh in all the colleges in Telangana.
Meanwhile, speaking to Business Standard, APSCHE secretary K Sateesh Reddy said the council would take all steps to complete the admission process from August 7-23 as announced by the Eamcet committee on July 31.
