State issues directive on college fees to make admissions fairer

Maharashtra mandates vocational colleges to adhere to approved fee structures, addressing complaints of overcharging and ensuring transparency in admissions.

Mumbai: The state government has directed newly approved vocational and professional colleges to strictly follow the fee structure approved by the Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) and the Fee Policy Committee (FPC). Colleges that violate these provisions will face actions by the state.

State issues directive on college fees to make admissions fairer

The move comes after several students and parents complained that some institutions were charging a higher fees than the sanctioned amount. The issue came to light during the centralised admission process (CAP) conducted by the directorate of technical education and the state common entrance examination (CET) cell.

The state higher and technical education department issued a circular on Monday stating that under the Maharashtra Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fees) Act, 2015, it is mandatory for colleges to display their course-wise fees. As per the act, colleges must display the fee structure in both Marathi and English, in a way that is clearly visible to students and parents. The information must also be available on their official websites for every academic year.

The circular reads, “The government has made it clear that no institution is allowed to charge more than the approved fee for a professional degree, or postgraduate and diploma courses.” It adds that institutions are also prohibited from collecting fees for more than one academic year at a time. As per the circular, if colleges demand any extra payment, whether in cash or kind, it will be treated as embezzlement under the law.

These rules are aimed at preventing exploitation of students during admissions, especially those coming from economically weaker backgrounds, or relying on scholarships. Many students have complained that they felt pressured to pay unapproved amounts just to secure their seats. This would often lead to financial stress for their families.

By enforcing the existing rules, the state hopes to make the admission process more transparent and fair. If students are demanded any additional fees, they can register complaints with the government or the institution’s board of directors through a designated helpline, which will be made available at the State General Examination Room.

A member of the FRA committee, Dharmendra Mishra, advised students to read certain sections of the Act and regularly check the official websites of their colleges for fee details. “If students or parents notice any discrepancy in the fees, they should first approach the principal and then bring the matter to the FRA,” he said.

Mishra said that in the previous academic year, the FRA had received many complaints about hiked fees, but most came from people who were not directly affected, which made it difficult to take action against colleges. “We urge students to file complaints directly with the FRA so that we can take proper action,” he added.

FRA contact details:

Tel No: 022-31980348 / 8828786264

Email: fra.govmh@gmail.com