SFI demands government takeover of Mohan Babu University in A.P.

The Student Federation of India (SFI) leaders on Thursday demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government immediately take over the Mohan Babu University in Tirupati, alleging large-scale financial irregularities, violation of court orders and a culture of intimidation, including the kidnapping of student leaders.

A roundtable held in Vijayawada, presided over by the federation’s State president P. Rammohan, passed a resolution calling for State-wide protests on Friday.

The participants demanded withdrawal of all alleged false cases filed against the kidnapped student leaders and immediate refund of ₹26.17 crore to students, as recommended by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE).

Federation’s Tirupati district secretary Akbar and district vice-president Vinod, who were reportedly kidnapped earlier, alleged that they were illegally detained, assaulted and threatened with death by persons linked to the university.

They claimed that timely intervention by the police saved their lives. They condemned the registration of what they described as fabricated cases against them.

SFI State secretary K. Prasanna Kumar alleged that between 2022 and 2024, Mohan Babu University collected ₹26.17 crore from students illegally under the heads of career development, placement, and hostel fees, even from those who neither availed of hostel facilities nor placement services.

He said student organisations had taken up sustained agitations, following which a committee of the Higher Education Council examined the issue.

Based on the committee’s report, the High Court directed the university to refund the illegally collected fees to students and imposed a fine of ₹15 lakh, he said, adding that the university, in violation of the court orders, was trying to collect an additional ₹40,000 per student this academic year.

Leaders of the United Teachers’ Federation, CITU and AISF also spoke, while the meeting was attended by representatives of various student, youth, women, farmers, and workers’ organisations, including AIDWA, DYFI, Kisan Sangham, Agricultural Workers Union, PDSU, NSUI, AISA and girijan associations, among others.