Mumbai: A non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Mumbai, Mission Awareness Foundation (MAF), on Wednesday alleged massive corrupt practices by certain private medical colleges in Maharashtra.
The NGO alleged that a number of private medical colleges in the state are not declaring their fee structure till the last moment and even after they are announced there is no clarity. “None of the AYUSH colleges (in Maharashtra) released fee structure before the students state their choice of college during the online admission process,” the NGO alleged.
It also accused certain private medical colleges of not implementing the state government’s mandate of 50% scholarships for male students who come from the marginalized groups — Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) — and 100% scholarships for female students from these sections. “Out of 245 (private medical colleges) of AYUSH and physiotherapy (in Maharashtra), only two colleges have implemented girls zero tuition fee,” Abdul Rehman, president, alleged.
The NGO also accused some institutions of demanding EBC certificate from students and if they do not provide the said certificate, students are asked to pay the full fees. “There is no such certificate. EBC students just need to show the income certificate of their parents. But they are being asked to provide a non-existent certificate, ITR of their parents and other certificates just to deny the scholarship,” the NGO alleged.
The MAF further said that “minority institutions are claiming that they are excluded from Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj State Education Fee Scholarship (RCSMSEFS) Scheme and they are refusing to accept admissions under the scheme”. “Only two (AG Unani Medical College and Integral Institute of Medical Science And Research) out of 13 minority institutions are implementing the RCSMSEFS schemes in the state,” Rehman said.
They also accused the colleges of finding a loophole in the Fees Regulatory Authority’s (FTA) jurisdiction and charging massive hostel and mess fees from students. “When the FTA regulated how much fees they can charge from students and they could not longer charge humongous fees from students as they did earlier, the colleges have started charging lakhs of rupees as hostel and mess fees. For example, one of the colleges has raised its hostel deposit six fold in four years, with current charges for hostel and mess at Rs. 4 lakhs, last year it was 2.05 lakhs. Another college charges Rs. 5 lakhs for hostel and mess, and many institutions make hostel accommodation mandatory even for local students,” the NGO alleged.
Hostel and mess fees regulation does not come under the jurisdiction of the FTA and the state government does not have a specific body to govern and regulate these fees.
Apart from that, according to the NGO, the students who get the RCSMSEFS scheme’s scholarship are being asked “to sign an undertaking by colleges that if the government does not disburse reimbursement by December, the student has to reimburse the fee to the college”.
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The NGO also blamed the government for delaying the scholarship reimbursements to educational institutions which is ultimately causing issues for the students. “(State) Government reimbursements to educational institutions have been significantly delayed, causing colleges to demand upfront fees from students who are otherwise eligible for scholarships. This violates the scholarship's purpose, which is to ensure education without financial barriers,” the MAF said.