As many as 4.62 lakh students in Telangana may be in trouble after only 57 out of 2,259 junior colleges across the state received provisional affiliation from the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) for the academic year of 2015-16.

According to a report in the Times of India, the number of affiliations has been going down each year, and while the academic year of 2014-15 saw 208 colleges receive the affiliation, the number came down to 208 double digits this year.

"Until last year, the TSBIE was lenient with colleges. However, this year, the process was strict, due to which not many colleges could get affiliation," P Madhusudan Reddy , president of Junior College Lecturers' Association told the newspaper.

The TSBIE is the educational board that devises the courses of study, prescribes syllabus and conducts examinations besides granting affiliations to junior colleges across the state.

The TSBIE had invited online applications last October from managements of junior colleges that offer general as well as vocational courses.

It had said that the managements would have to ensure that FDR, register lease deed of the college building and playground should be in force for the period for which they have submitted the proposals. Fire safety certificate should also be renewed periodically every year. Otherwise, the proposals will not be considered.

According to reports, as many as 2,259 colleges sent proposals but 1,440 colleges failed to submit the fire safety, sanitation and building safety certificates.

Colleges running without affiliations cannot conduct examinations, and have cried foul, claiming that the board was strict only with the private junior colleges and not with those run by the government.