The newly tabled Maharashtra Universities Act has run into a controversy. Student unions have objected to the way fee-fixation committees are going to be formed under this Act. Alleging that the Act would favour college managements, student unions have pointed at how they have been conveniently kept away from participating in these committees. Even as these committees will see representation from students and parents as individuals, unions feel that with their absence, there is no one to pressurise college managements. Parents and students are individually scared of talking against college managements, let alone on sensitive issues like fee-related matters.

Student unions feel that their absence is an indirect way of supporting college managements, who will not have anybody’s objection while deciding the fee structure of their choice. This will put students and parents in a difficult situation, claim student unions.