Stand-off over reimbursment of tuition fees continues in Andhra Pradesh

The stand-off between the Andhra Pradesh government and the managements of private professional colleges over the issue of the government providing funds for reimbursement of tution fees for backward class students continued today.     State minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and others held discussions with the representatives of the managements of the professional colleges.     "They say that the government should release 50 per cent of the funds. They conveyed their difficulties and we conveyed our position. We will meet again on February 16 and decide," Rajanarasimha told reporters.     "Government sought time till February 16. We will meet again. We have announced our decision to close the colleges from February 16. We can take a decision on that day," Ramesh, a representative of the managements, said.      The government had yesterday expressed its readiness to release only Rs 600 crore while the amount to be paid was over Rs3,000 crore as fees reimbursement.      Insisting that the government release at least 50 per cent of the total dues, the colleges have announced that they would shut down the colleges from February 16.