Date of reserved for orders : --------------- Date of pronouncement : 09.07.2026 Date of uploading :20.07.2024 APHC010261622026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3458] THURSDAY, THE 9th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA WRIT PETITION NO: 13974/2026 Between: 1. ANDHRA PRADESH PRIVATE DEGREE COLLEGE, MANAGEMENTS ASSOCIATION REP BY ITS PRESIDENT R/O VILLA NO.18, NSR VILLAS, TECK PARK ROAD, MANGALAGIRI, GUNTUR DISTRICT ANDHRA PRADESH - 522503 ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE GOVERMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, A.P SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH - 500038 2. COMMISSIONERATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, REP BY ITS COMMISSIONER O/0 COMMISSIONERATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, GARUDADRI KK TOWERS, SRI LAKSHMI NARASIMHA COLONY, GUNTUR DISTRICT - MANGALAGIRI - 522503 3. YOGI VEMANA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR, VEMANAPURAM, KADAPA ANDHRA PRADESH -516005 4. DR B R AMBEDKAR UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR 7RH8 PLUS 9XP, AMBEDKAR UNIVERSITY RD, ETCHERLA, ANDHRA PRADESH -532410 2 5. ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR JUNCTION, AU NORTH CAMPUS, ANDHRA UNIVERSITY NORTH ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 530003. 6. ADIKAVI NANNAYA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR 3V8F PLUS 62P, ADIKAVI UNIVERSITY ROAD SRIKRISHNAPATNAM, VELUGUBANDA RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 533296 7. KRISHNA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR MACHILIPATNAM KONA ROAD, RUDRAVARAM, MACHILIPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH -521004 8. ACHARYA NAGARJUNA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR NH 16, NAGARJUNA NAGAR, GUNTUR, ANDHRA PRADESH - 522510 9. ANDHRA KESARI UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR COLONY, BEHIND MINI STADIUM, RAMNAGAR, PELLURU, ONGOLE, ANDHRA PRADESH - 523001 10. VIKRAMA SIMHAPURI UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR VIKRAMA SIMHAPURI UNIVERSITY RD, KAKUTUR, ANDHRA PRADESH 524324 11. SRI VENKATESWARA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR SV UNIVERSITY, PRAKASAM RD, SRI PAD MAVATI MAHILA VISVAVIDYALAYAM, TIRUPATI, ANDHRA PRADESH 517502 12. RAYALASEEMA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR NANDYALA ROAD, DINNEDEVARAPADU, KURNOOL, ANDHRA PRADESH 518007 13. SRI KRISHNADEVARAYA UNIVERSITY, REP BY ITS REGISTRAR SKU MAIN GATE, ROAD, OPPOSITE YSR STATUE, BESIDE HIGHWAY DABA, AKUTOPALLE, ANANTAPUR, ITIKALAPALLI, ANDHRA PRADESH 515003 ...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 tomay be pleased to issue an order or a direction more in the nature of Writ of Mandamus, declaring the inaction of Respondents 1 and 2 in not 3 considering the representations dated 05-01-2026 and 13-03-2026 of the petitioners society as arbitrary, unjust and Unconstitutional and to consequentially direct the Respondents Nos 1 and 2 to consider the representations dated 05-01-2026 and 13-03-2026 made by the Petitioners association and pass such IA NO: 1 OF 2026 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 may be pleased to direct the respondents not to insist for payment of affiliation charges from the member colleges of the petitioner society and to extend the existing approved affiliations given to the member colleges of the petitioner society till the payment of the complete RTF arrears till pending disposal of the above writ petition and to pass such IA NO: 2 OF 2026 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 may be pleased to implead the State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by its Principal Secretary of Social Welfare Department as 14th Respondent in the main writ petition; and also in miscellaneous Petition pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. T SREEDHAR Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. O UDAYA KUMAR SC For S K UNIVERSITY 2. GADDE KOTI NAGULU SC For Adikavi nannaya University 3. GP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION 4. B SUDHAKAR KUMAR SC For KRISHNA UNIVERSITY,MTM 5. M.CHALAPATHI SC For Nagarjuna University The Court made the following: 4 ORDER:- Heard Sri T.Sreedhar, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education appearing for the respondent Nos.1 and 2, Sri O.Udaya Kumar, learned Standing Counsel for the Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Sri Gadde Koti Nagulu, learned Standing Counsel for Adikavi Nannaya University, Sri B.Sudhakar Kumar, learned Standing Counsel for Krishna University, Sri M.Chalapathi, learned Standing Counsel for Nagarjuna University. 2. The grievance of the petitioner in the instant writ petition is against the action of the respondents in not considering the representations filed by the petitioner dated 05.01.2026 and 13.03.2026. 3. The petitioner association is a society, formed with an objective to secure, promote and protect the common interests of the private degree colleges in Andhra Pradesh. 4. It is contended that the Government of Andhra Pradesh, in its policy decision to promote education has evolved a scheme to pay tuition fee and maintenance fee to the eligible students. Under the said scheme, it provides full reimbursement of tuition fee to every eligible student and also pays maintenance fee per each eligible student. The maintenance fee would be credited to the respective accounts of the parents of the student. 5 5. The petitioner association contends that the colleges were directed not to insist for payment of tuition fee and maintenance fee at the time of admission. It is further argued that it was ensured by the respondent authorities that the RTF (Reimbursement of Tuition Fee), would be released in favour of the colleges. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the reimbursement of tuition fee to the colleges sometimes gets delayed, and only after the affiliation proceedings are issued, the college would get the reimbursement. However, the expenditure that each college would incur in maintaining the college would not stop and they have to spend out of their pockets, even if the reimbursement is delayed. Such an expenditure would invariably include salaries to teaching and non- teaching staff, maintenance of the buildings, transportation that would be provided to the students. Even if a college gets reimbursement or not, the managements have to shell out from their pocket to see that the educational standards of the colleges/institutions are maintained as per the prescribed norms. It is stated that the petitioner association has made a representation dated 05.01.2026 to the 1st respondent for evolving a method and mechanism to safeguard the educational interests of the students without compromising on the economic viability of the colleges. As no orders were passed on the representation, the petitioner has approached this court by way of instant writ petition. 6 6. Having regard to the contentions advanced, since the representation is stated to have been pending for consideration before the 1st respondent since 05.01.2026, and having regard to the contentions of the petitioner association with regard to the financial hardship that is being encountered by the members of the petitioner association, without going into the merits of the issue involved, this Court deems it deems it appropriate to dispose of the writ petition directing the 1st and 2nd respondents to pass appropriate orders on the representations filed by the petitioner dated 05.01.2026 and 21.04.2026 within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of the order after giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner Association. 5. With the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall also stand closed. ______________________________ JUSTICE KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA Dated: 09.07.2026 ANI Whether the order is: Speaking ✓ Reasoned Reportable Non-reportable ✓ 7 38 THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA WRIT PETITION NO:13974 of 2026 Dated: 09.07.2026 ANI