Following complaints that several colleges in Maharashtra were charging hidden fees during admissions, the state government has taken a strict decision to improve transparency in fee collection.
Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil announced that all higher educational institutions will now be required to publicly display their complete fee structure on large boards outside college entrances. This must include all mandatory charges such as development fees, laboratory fees, library fees, and gymkhana fees.
The minister said that official instructions will soon be issued to colleges, and once the approved fee structure is declared, institutions will not be allowed to collect any additional hidden charges separately.
He also clarified that under the Fee Regulatory Authority framework, all mandatory charges will now be merged into a single “consolidated fee” category to prevent misuse by institutions.
The state government has already implemented a 100% fee waiver scheme for girls from families with an annual income below INR 8 lakh to encourage higher education among women. However, many colleges were reportedly giving concessions only on tuition fees while separately charging development and laboratory fees. The new rule aims to stop this practice by including all mandatory charges under one combined fee structure.
The minister also announced an expansion of the Panjabrao Deshmukh Scholarship Scheme for female students. The scheme will now cover 814 courses instead of 600. Additionally, female students who are unable to stay in hostels will receive a monthly allowance of INR 6,000.
Optional services such as hostel accommodation, transport facilities, and swimming pools will remain separate, and students using these facilities will have to pay additional charges.
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