Hyderabad: Tinkering with the ‘local candidate’ rules, however difficult it may be, could lead to a lot of repercussions affecting all “local” Andhra students in Telangana and vice-versa. Many feel that while it is logical in a way on the part of the Telangana government to state that it will only pay for its students, any move to disqualify Andhra students from being ‘locals’ will make them ‘non-locals’ in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This could affect their academic prospects in a big way. The same holds true for about half the number of Telangana students in Andhra Pradesh as well.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had told colleagues from all parties that a suitable nativity definition should be worked out so that only Telangana students benefit from the fee reimbursement scheme. The Telangana government had made it clear that it would pay only for Telangana students and not for ‘local’ Andhra students.
If Andhra students are made ineligible for the fee reimbursement scheme by making them ‘non-local’, effected by a change in the nativity definition, they will become ‘non-local’ in both states, drastically affecting their ability to choose seats in reputed colleges as ‘local’ students.
“The guidelines are yet to be finalised. But if domicile status is taken, it will disqualify many Andhra students. But it will not be limited to just Andhra students. The Andhra government will also probably respond in a similar way and Telangana students will also be affected,” a senior higher education department official said.
Dr P. Madhusudhan Reddy, general secretary of Telangana government junior lecturers’ association, said, “I am welcoming the decision of both governments to pay for their respective students. This is the right decision and it is not something new. If they start paying for everyone now, ultimately, they have to continue paying for 14 years. According to me, the Eamcet rank card is the criteria for determining the status.”
The nativity clause is a unique feature restricted to just Andhra Pradesh under Article 371D of the Constitution and as prescribed under the Presidential Order.
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