Even as the students enter the final leg of the academic calendar, close to 100 junior colleges have not obtained the official recognition from the Board of Intermediate (BIE) putting the academic futures of thousands of unsuspecting students at risk as they enroll in institutions that lack official approval. Critics argue that authorities often appear to turn a blind eye, allowing these colleges to operate in a shadow economy where last-minute permissions supersede due diligence.

This year alone, 94 colleges remain unaffiliated, including 92 private junior colleges, one cooperative college, and one social welfare college. This is despite the BIE closing admission login IDs for colleges lacking proper documentation to curb irregularities.

Parents and students often overlook the crucial step of verifying a college's affiliation status during the admissions process. While the government occasionally grants special, last-minute permissions, students face persistent uncertainty and the potential loss of academic progress.

The BIE maintains strict requirements for official recognition. A college must submit a comprehensive list of documents, including a registered deed or lease deed of the building, an approved building plan, fire safety clearance, mixed occupancy approvals, corpus fund details, a structural soundness certificate, sanitary certificates, teaching staff credentials, and playground documentation.

Despite these stringent rules, several private colleges are conducting admissions and classes without full board approval. Joint Secretary of the Intermediate Board, Vasundhara, stressed that all applications must include the required certificates, stating, "Without them, affiliation cannot be granted."

A major point of contention is the physical infrastructure. 44 of the unaffiliated colleges operate in mixed-use buildings, which is a common practice in districts like Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchal. This setup, where shops or malls occupy the lower floors and college classes are held above, often violates safety and regulatory norms.

Half of the academic year has already passed, yet many colleges continue operating without providing the necessary documentation. Out of the 1,460 private colleges that applied for affiliation this year, 1,368 received approval, leaving 92 still unauthorized. Alarmingly, 48 of these unapproved institutions did not even submit a complete application, while the other 44 are primarily challenged by the mixed-use building issue.

This problem is a recurring one. Last year, over 300 colleges faced approval delays due to similar mixed occupancy or shifting issues, yet they still ran classes and admitted students. Despite these ongoing challenges, the Telangana Private Colleges Association notes that these unapproved colleges continue to host large numbers of students, highlighting the persistent demand for junior intermediate education and the need for stricter enforcement.