Mumbai: The Fee Regulating Authority (FRA) has warned medical colleges of “appropriate action” after the state government body received several complaints of colleges charging “five-times fees from parents/students” in the second round of admissions in ayurveda courses.
About The Complaints
The regulating body received several complaints through email and telephone on Thursday, the last day for the second round of admissions through the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) in BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, and other Ayurveda courses. One such complaint was made by Anand Bapat of Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena. Bapat, in his complaint, alleged that several colleges in Pune were charging five times the fee approved by the FRA. He also accused certain colleges “being very rude” and not reporting students despite them standing in queues for hours.
The FRA had received similar complaints in 2023 as well. At that time, the regulating authority had stated that “all the Institutes/Colleges are directed to take note that demanding or charging fees more than the fees prescribed by the Authority amounts to violation of provision of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015and liable for penal action as provided u/s. 20 of the said Act.”
In its warning to the institutes on Thursday, the regulating authority asked the institutes to follow the 2023 notice “to ensure that no eligible student is deprived of admission”.
“Despite receiving warnings last year, the colleges are totally ignoring the FRA’s regulations this year as well. We are all surprised at their audacity. Charging fees five-time higher than normal is basically denying the right to education to the students who come from relatively poor families. FRA must investigate the matter and take strict action against the colleges that are not following norms set by the authority,” said a Pune-based student counsellor.
“If action is not taken against the colleges flouting norms, this will keep happening year after year. The colleges will assume that they can charge any amount from the students as they wish to and get away with it,” he added.
Accusation Made By Activists
Activists also accused some colleges in the state of not implementing Maharashtra government’s fee scholarship scheme for students from economically weaker sections. “Several colleges throughout the state are not implementing the free education scheme for girl children from economically weaker sections and are asking them to pay the fees in full,” said Kaleem Khan, an activist.
