In a landmark shift for higher education, the Telangana government has rolled out a new fee policy for engineering and vocational colleges, tying tuition charges directly to academic quality, employability, and research performance. The move is aimed at curbing arbitrary fee hikes while pushing institutions to deliver real outcomes for students.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who also oversees the education portfolio, has been pushing for a model where engineering graduates are not only degree holders but also job-ready professionals. “Students must walk out of college prepared to secure jobs,” he has repeatedly stressed in review meetings — a vision that has now shaped the government’s sweeping reforms.

The new guidelines, released Thursday by Education Secretary Yogitharana, follow months of deliberations by a high-level committee chaired by Telangana Council of Higher Education President Acharya Balakishta Reddy. The state Fee Regulatory Commission (FRC) will now review and fix college fees every three years, using six stringent criteria rather than simply relying on expense audits as in the past.

Under the policy, fee structures will be tied to faculty qualifications, infrastructure, research output, placement records, student attendance, and post-graduation career outcomes. Colleges will be required to demonstrate transparency through Aadhaar-linked online fee payments and facial-recognition systems for attendance. Institutions failing to comply with state technical education plans will face penalties.

Importantly, research and innovation will weigh heavily in the new evaluation. Colleges will be assessed on patents, publications, startup incubation, and national or global rankings. The aim, officials said, is to transform Telangana’s engineering sector into a hub of both employable talent and innovation.

Around 160 engineering colleges across the state have been directed to submit their details to the FRC between August 25 and September 3. The newly fixed fees will apply from the next academic year and remain valid for three years.

“Fee regulation is no longer just about balancing books; it’s about enforcing accountability and ensuring that students and parents get real value for their investment,” said a senior official present at Thursday’s FRC meeting chaired by Justice Gopal Reddy.

The reforms, officials maintain, are designed to protect students from exploitative practices while nudging colleges toward excellence — a significant realignment of engineering education in Telangana.