UoH students demand fee-free semester registration under ePASS scheme

Demonstrators at the University of Hyderabad have intensified their push for administrative reforms regarding semester registration procedures for students benefiting from the Telangana ePASS (Post metric scholarship for SC/ST students) initiative. The students contend that mandating upfront fee payment before allowing registration contradicts the spirit of the scholarship programme, which aims to ensure equitable access to higher education for economically disadvantaged groups.

The protestors have raised concerns that the current registration system creates practical hardships for ePASS beneficiaries who may face delays in receiving their scholarship disbursements. Students argue that requiring fees before registration essentially negates the purpose of the financial assistance, forcing them to arrange funds from alternative sources or risk missing academic deadlines.

The University of Hyderabad administration has not yet issued an official statement responding to the demands. The issue underscores ongoing tensions between institutional fee collection procedures and the implementation of state-sponsored scholarship schemes designed to reduce financial obstacles for marginalised student populations.

The protest reflects broader challenges in coordinating between higher education institutions and government scholarship programmes across Indian universities, where timing mismatches between fee demands and disbursement schedules frequently disadvantage beneficiary students. Education officials in Telangana have previously acknowledged similar implementation gaps in scholarship delivery mechanisms.