The Telangana High Court, in a recent judgment, addressed disputes over increased seat intake in engineering colleges, emphasizing the State’s authority under Section 20 of the Telangana Education Act, 1982. The court upheld the State’s decision to reject additional seats for certain colleges in Kandlakoya locality, citing the need to assess educational requirements locality-wise, not district-wise.
Key Arguments and Court’s Analysis
The appellants, represented by senior counsel, argued discrimination, claiming their institutions were denied seat increases while others in Medchal-Malkajgiri District were permitted. They relied on AICTE approvals and JNTU’s No Objection Certificates (NOCs). However, the court noted that Section 20(3) of the Education Act mandates evaluating needs “in the locality,” not the entire district. The State clarified that Kandlakoya, a specific locality, had no unmet demand for additional seats except for one college granted 120 seats.
The court referenced the Supreme Court’s judgment in Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University v. Sangam Laxmi Bai Vidyapeet, which upheld Section 20’s validity and stressed preventing “mushroom growth” of institutions. It dismissed the discrimination claim, stating comparisons must be locality-specific.
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Protection for Admitted Students
Despite dismissing the appeals, the court directed that students admitted under interim orders-now in their third year-be allowed to complete their courses. This humanitarian relief ensured their academic continuity.
Case Title: CMR Technical Campus & Others vs. State of Telangana & Others
Case Numbers:
- Writ Appeal Nos.: 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 601, and 602 of 2025
- Connected Writ Petitions: W.P. Nos. 23539, 23541, and 23654 of 2024
- Earlier Proceedings: W.A. No. 953 of 2024 (related batch)
