APHC010413032025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3460] MONDAY,THE TWENTY THIRD DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 21566/2025 Between: 1. KAKINADA INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY-II, JNANABHUMI CODE 22332 REP BY ITS CHAIRMAN SRI. POTHULA VENKATA VISWAM KORANGI, TALLAREVU MANDAL EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AP SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, TULLURU, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 3. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY FINANCE DEPARTMENT, TULLURU, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 4. THE DIRECTOR, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH VELAGAPUDI, 2 GUNTUR DISTRICT, 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 topleased to issue an appropriate writ more in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the Respondents in not releasing the admitted due amounts to the Petitioner Institution towards reimbursement of the expenditure incurred by them under the Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) scheme for the academic years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 for obvious reasons as being arbitrary, illegal and violating Articles 14, 16, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India and also in contravention of the GO Ms. No.81, Social Welfare Department, Dated 07-05-2019 and GO Ms. No.115, Social Welfare Department, Dated 30-11-2019 and consequential Government Orders and consequently direct the Respondents to release the admitted amount to a tune of Rs. 1,11,97,500/- (One Crores Eleven Lakhs Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred Rupees) towards Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) for the academic years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 to the Petitioner institution together with interest thereon @ 24 percent per annum and issue such other writ or order or direction as deemed fit and proper in the circumstances of case. 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 Respondents to release the admitted amount to a tune of Rs.1,11,97,500/- (One Crores Eleven Lakhs Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred Rupees) towards Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) for the academic years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 to the Petitioner institution together with interest thereon @ 24% per annum, pending disposal of the Writ Petition, in the interest of justice and pass 3 Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. SRI VIJAY MATHUKUMILLI Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION 2. GP FOR SOCIAL WELFARE 3. GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING The Court made the following: 4 THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY W.P.No.21566 of 2025 O R DE R: 1. The present Writ Petition is filed questioning the action of the Respondents in not releasing the admitted due amount to a tune of Rs.1,11,97,500/- (One Crores Eleven Lakhs Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred Rupees), together with interest thereon @ 24 % per annum to the Petitioner Institution towards reimbursement of the expenditure incurred by them under the 'Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) scheme' for the academic years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. 2. The facts leading to filing of this petition are as follows: The petitioner is a private unaided college. In order to promote academic education in the State, State Government had introduced a scheme originally titled as Right to Tuition Fee (RTE) and Maintenance fee of Student (MTF) through the Social Welfare Department. The students are allotted to the petitioner institution through the social welfare department. For the academic years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, the petitioner college was allotted students as per the schemes, but the amounts were not credited to the college 5 accounts though there is no dispute with regard to the amount due. 3. It is further stated that “Jnanabhumi” smart portal was created to streamline the post metric scholarships eco-system vide G.O.Ms.No.45, Social Welfare (Edn.2) Department, on 09.06.2017. It is stated that the said portal has all the details of the colleges and the students admitted among other stakeholder details. Vide G.O.Ms.No.81, Social Welfare (Edn.2) Department, dated 07.05.2019, the Jnanabhumi portal was modified for better services. It is stated that the amounts due to the colleges under RTF and MTF schemes would be available on this “Jnanabhumi” portal with details of the student. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that in the face of the availability of details of amounts due to the petitioner college under the above mentioned schemes, there is no justification to delay the payments. 5. The learned Government Pleader, on instructions received from the Director of Social Welfare Department vide letter dated 01.09.2025, submits that the writ petitioner has wrongly described the claimed amount as “admitted dues” 6 under the fee reimbursement scheme. It is submitted that the said amount represents only the petitioner’s claim and not admitted dues. The dues are calculated strictly in accordance with the data available on the Jnanabhumi portal, which is the online platform for registration of applications, verification, processing, and release of fee reimbursement amounts.. 6. Considering the submissions on both sides, this Writ Petition is disposed of, with the following directions:- (i) The Respondents concerned are directed to examine the claim of the Petitioner as per the Jnanabhumi portal within a period of eight (08) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. (ii) On verification, the amount due to the petitioner shall be paid to the petitioner within a period of three (3) months thereafter. (iii) There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, the miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this Petition shall stand closed. __________________ NYAPATHY VIJAY, J Date: 23.02.2026 RSD 7 214 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NYAPATHY VIJAY WRIT PETITION NO: 21566/2025 Dt. 23.02.2026 RSD