Hyderabad: The Telangana high court on Tuesday directed the Telangana state education department to probe allegations of mismanagement of funds and affairs of Hyderabad Public School‘s Begumpet and Ramanthapur branches by the governing body of the HPS society.

The court issued these directions while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) in which the petitioner, Durgam Ravinder, alleged that the institution was not adhering to the byelaws of the HPS society, particularly in matters of reservation policy and fee regulation.

He further alleged that the institution had also taken up unauthorised constructions without obtaining permissions from the GHMC and other govt agencies.

During the hearing, Ravinder’s counsel, Kalyani PK, argued that HPS was earlier a govt institution, and the management was later transferred to a governing body for its smooth functioning.

“However, the management was not adhering to its own byelaws in respect of implementing reservations for SCs, STs, and BCs in admissions and recruitments, among several other issues. The file for changing byelaws was earlier placed in the assembly and was even sent for the governor’s assent, but it was returned with objections,” Kalyani argued. She said that the petitioner had submitted a representation to the principal secretary of the education department in April 2025 listing the allegations against the institution, but had received no response.

The petitioner further alleged that candidates without the requisite qualifications were appointed to contractual posititons, and contracts related to catering, sports, security and IT management were awarded in violation of procedures. SC hostels were also closed down, the petitioner said.

The institution has taken up unauthorised constructions by indulging in encroachments, the petitioner alleged, seeking directions from the court to HYDRAA and GHMC to survey and remove the alleged encroachments. The petitioner also urged the court to appoint an independent vigilance team comprising the vigilance commissioner and experts in school administration to conduct an audit of the institution’s finances.

The counsel for the HPS society, meanwhile, argued that the allegations were unfounded and said that the state govt had itself declared that HPS was not a govt institution, urging the court to dismiss the PIL.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and justice GM Mohiuddin, which heard the matter on Tuesday, directed the principal secretary of the education department to consider the petition within three months in accordance with law. If any adverse action is contemplated against the institutions, the court instructed issuance of notice to the institutions and agencies concerned.

“A whole lot of factual allegations are made (against HPS) in a PIL, which we don’t think should enter into at this stage. Being a statutory body and having supervisory control over these privately run schools, you examine his representation,” the bench told the principal secretary, and disposed of the matter.