APHC010614512025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3327] MONDAY, THE TWENTY FOURTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE K SREENIVASA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO: 31798/2025 Between: 1. J USHA RANI, D/O N. JAYASHANKAR, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, OCC STUDENT, BELONGING TO SCHEDULED CASTE (MADIGA) COMMUNITY, R/O D.NO 2-334, MUNNAGI VARI STREET, UNDAVALLI, TADEPALLI, GUNTUR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF AP, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, SOCIAL WELFARE (EDUCATION) DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI. 2. THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, ANDHRA PRADESH SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI. 3. THE COMMISSIONER, BACKWARD CLASSES WELFARE DEPARTMENT, ANDHRA PRADESH SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI. 4. VITAP UNIVERSITY, REP. BY ITS REGISTRAR, AMARAVATI, ANDHRA PRADESH. ...RESPONDENT(S): Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue an appropriate Writ, Order or Direction, more particularly one in the nature of a Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the Respondents in denying SRK, J W.P.No.31798 of 2025 2 the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme benefits to the petitioner admitted under the Government /Convener quota in the 4th respondent university, through APLAWCET -2024 Counselling, as illegal, arbitrary, discriminatory, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, and consequently direct the Respondents to release the said scheme benefits to the petitioner for the academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26, and to continue the same till completion of the said course, in the interest of justice and equity , and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased pleased to direct the 4th Respondent not to insist upon payment of tuition fees from the petitioner and to permit the petitioner to attend classes and appear for examinations, until the release of the benefits of the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. ASHOK RAM V Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR SOCIAL WELFARE 2. A SWARUPA REDDY The Court made the following: SRK, J W.P.No.31798 of 2025 3 HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K. SREENIVASA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.31798 of 2025 ORDER: This Writ Petition has been filed seeking to declare the action of respondents in denying the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) Scheme benefits to petitioner admitted under the Government/Convener quota in 4th respondent university, through APLAWCET-2024 Counseling as illegal and arbitrary, and consequently direct the respondents to release the said scheme benefits to petitioner for the Academic Years 2024-25 and 2025- 26 and to continue the same till completion of the said course. 2. Case of the petitioner is that she joined B.B.A., B.L., in 4th respondent University under the Government quota, and several students from earlier batches, in respect of same course and same University, had already received full fee reimbursement under the PMS scheme. It is further stated that in the provisional allotment order dated 02.11.2024 issued to the petitioner by the Convener-Admissions, APLAWCET 2024, it was categorically stated that no tuition fee is payable by her as she is eligible and covered under Fee Reimbursement Category, more specifically under the Post Matric Scholarships (PMS) Category. It is further SRK, J W.P.No.31798 of 2025 4 stated that students admitted in the years 2022-23 and 2023-24 in the same University under Government quota, in the same course, were granted full PMS benefits. On 31.10.2025, the Assistant Director, Student Records Section, VIT-AP University, issued an e-mail circular stating that pursuant to G.O.Rt.No.78, students admitted to private Universities under Government quota from the Academic Year 2024-25 onwards are not eligible for PMS scheme and they must pay tuition fee for the Academic Years 2024-25 and 2025-26 on or before 15.11.2025, failing which they would not be allowed to appear for Final Assessment Test Examinations. Hence, the present Writ Petition. 3. Learned counsel for petitioner submits that exclusion of petitioner admitted under Government quota in private Universities from the benefit of PMS is wholly arbitrary, discriminatory and without any rational basis and is in clear violation of Section 33A of the Andhra Pradesh Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2016, which introduced the Government/Convenor quota into private Universities, which would automatically make the students eligible for the said PMS scheme, in terms of G.O.Ms.No.66, Social Welfare (SW.EDN.2) Department, dated 08.09.2010. SRK, J W.P.No.31798 of 2025 5 4. Without going into the merits of the case, in pursuance of e- mail by the University, learned counsel for petitioner placed a letter bearing No.861/APHERMC/GRIEVANCES/2025, dated 17.11.2025, whereunder the A.P. Higher Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission addressed a letter to the Registrar, VIT-AP University stating that the allotment orders issued to the students clearly mentioned that tuition fee payable by the students is zero. In those circumstances, it is not clear as to how the University management can demand or collect any form of tuition or related fees from these students when the government itself categorically specified that no tuition fee is payable by the students. Such collection of fees appears to be in contravention of the allotment conditions and has led to widespread grievances from affected students. The Commission directed the University management to refrain from collecting any tuition or related fees from students who are eligible under PMS scheme and whose allotment orders specify that tuition fee payable is zero. In connection with that a Circular has also been issued to the extent that no office of the University will force any student to pay the tuition fee voluntarily which is against the policy of the university. SRK, J W.P.No.31798 of 2025 6 5. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of respondents submitted that on the very same day, when the e-mail has been issued, a Circular has been issued to the extent that the tuition fee would not be collected from the students, and pursuant to the same, students are attending the classes in the said University. 6. Recording the same, the Writ Petition is closed. No order as to costs. 7. As a sequel thereto, the miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed. _________________________ K. SREENIVASA REDDY, J. Date: 24.11.2025 sj SRK, J W.P.No.31798 of 2025 7 96 HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K. SREENIVASA REDDY Writ Petition No.31798 of 2025 Date: 24.11.2025 sj