Engineering and professional colleges across Hyderabad and Telangana are set to face government inspections just days before a statewide strike called by the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI). The state government has directed vigilance teams to conduct raids at institutions under the Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) scheme following reports of irregularities. According to an official memo issued by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, the inspections will verify whether colleges are functioning legitimately and whether students availing scholarships are truly eligible under the scheme. Officials have been instructed to examine staff attendance, classrooms, laboratories, furniture, and other infrastructure during these inspections.

The timing of the raids has stirred sharp reactions from college managements, who view the move as a tactic to suppress their protest. FATHI had earlier announced an indefinite strike from November 3 after the government allegedly failed to release ₹300 crore in pending fee reimbursements that were promised before Diwali. The strike will include institutions offering engineering, pharmacy, law, nursing, MBA, MCA, and B.Ed courses. Members argue that the government’s sudden decision to inspect colleges—just days before the shutdown—appears politically motivated and intended to divert attention from its failure to clear long-standing dues.

Meanwhile, government officials maintain that the inspections are a routine accountability exercise aimed at curbing misuse of public funds and ensuring transparency in scholarship disbursement. However, the controversy has intensified tensions between the state and educational institutions, with many warning that the standoff could disrupt academic schedules, examinations, and placements across Telangana. As the strike deadline approaches, the education sector remains on edge, awaiting whether the government will release the dues or risk a full-blown shutdown of professional colleges across the state.