AP govt holds discussion over fees reimbursement issue

Social Welfare Minister Pitani Satyanarayana, who heads the Cabinet sub-committee on the issue, told reporters after the talks that the views of the managements would be reported to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy tomorrow.

He said the government was in favour of paying Rs 35,000 (per student) as being done till now.

Several professional managements, who opposed the government's move to put a cap earlier, have reportedly agreed to the proposal now, their representatives have said.

A controversy erupted after the state government mooted the idea of putting a cap on the amount to be reimbursed towards tuition fees of students of engineering and professional courses.

The government's proposal met with stiff resistance from all opposition parties and students' groups, who are holding protests across the state demanding that professional education should not remain a distant dream for backward students.