Any administrative decision to reduce fees based on a revised regulatory framework must adhere to the principles of natural justice, requiring prior notice and an opportunity for a personal hearing to the affected educational institution.

ORDER:

This Writ Petition is filed seeking to

“…issue a writ, order or direction more particularly in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring GO. Ms. No.6 dt.04. 03.2026 issued by the 1st respondent notifying a fee of Rs. 78,000/- per student per annum in respect of the under graduate engineering course (B.E/B.Tech) imparted by the petitioner for the block period 2025-26 to 2027-28 purportedly on the recommendations of the 2nd respondent as ultra vires, arbitrary and illegal, vitiated by perversity and irrational conclusions of the 2nd respondent, being in violation of the law declared by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and this Hon’ble Court being violative of Articles 14 and 19 of the constitution and issue consequential directions to the respondents to notify the fee at Rs.1,12 000/- per student per annum as proposed by the petitioner in its proposal for the undergraduate engineering course (B. E/B.Tech) for the block period 2025-26 to 2027-28 and pass…”

2. Heard Sri Krishna Reddy, learned counsel representing Sri Vinay Krishna Kodali, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, Sri G. Chandra Sekhar Reddy, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education, learned Standing Counsel for the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC), Sri A.P.Suresh Ram, learned Standing Counsel for Telangana State Council of Higher Education and Sri M.Srinivas Reddy, learned Standing Counsel for Osmania University, Hyderabad (OU) for respondents. Perused the material available on record.

3.1 Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner-institution is established with the primary objective of providing educational facilities in the State of Telangana. The petitioner-institution impart technical education in Engineering and Technical courses and it is being annually granted approval by the AICTE and have received requisite affiliation from the respondent university. The petitioner-institution amongst the best and most preferred choice of students in the State of Telangana.

3.2. After the bifurcation of the State of Andhra Pradesh, the State of Telangana adopted the regulatory framework under G.O.Ms.No.6 dated 08.01.2007 through G.O.Ms.No.26, dated 22.07.2015. On the same day, TAFRC was constituted vide G.O.Rt.No.160, dated 22.07.2015.

3.3. After due establishment of the petitioner-institution, the respondent No.2-TAFRC fixed the fees for the courses offered by the petitioner-institution in accordance with the prevailing regulatory framework.

3.4. For the block period of A.Y. 2025-26 to A.Y. 2027-28, the respondent No.2-TAFRC issued a notification, dated 15.07.2024 inviting proposals for fees fixation. After the submission of the proposals for Rs.1,12,000/-, a personal hearing was conducted and upon consideration of the material, the respondent No.2-TAFRC reduced the fee to Rs.86,000/-.

3.5. However, respondent No.1 issued G.O.Ms.No.26, dated 30.06.2025 continuing the earlier fee structure applicable to the previous block period for the academic year 2025-26. The said G.O. was challenged before this Court in W.P.No.19955 of 2025 and batch. By order, dated 11.07.2025, this Court directed the respondent No.2-TAFRC to complete reconsideration and determination of fees within six weeks. The said interim order was upheld in W.A.No.749 of 2025 and batch.

3.6. Subsequently, the respondent No.1 issued G.O.Ms.No.29, dated 25.07.2025 constituting a committee to revaluate the fee fixation criteria. Based on its recommendations, G.O.Ms.No.33, dated 20.08.2025 was issued amending G.O.Ms.No.6 and introducing additional parameters for fee determination.

3.7. While fresh personal hearings were conducted for engineering institutions under the amended framework introduced by G.O.Ms.No.33, another opportunity was afforded to the petitioner-institution. But while taking decision of reducing to Rs.