Speaking during the Question Hour in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Patil said the government will not hesitate to cancel the affiliation of institutions that refuse admission to girls on the grounds of tuition fees
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Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday warned that strict action will be taken against colleges that deny admission to eligible girl students under the state government’s tuition fee waiver scheme, reported news agency PTI.
Speaking during the Question Hour in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Patil said the government will not hesitate to cancel the affiliation of institutions that refuse admission to girls on the grounds of tuition fees.
Fee waiver scheme aimed at boosting women’s education
Patil described the decision taken two years ago to waive tuition fees for girls pursuing professional courses as a “revolutionary step” intended to increase women’s participation in higher education.
According to the minister, the initiative has already led to a significant rise in enrolment of girl students in professional colleges across the state.
“The number of girl students has increased from 85,068 in the 2023–24 academic year to 1,15,800, registering a rise of about 41 per cent,” he said, reported PTI.
The government expects the trend to continue as awareness of the scheme grows among students and families.
Colleges warned against demanding advance fees
The minister also addressed complaints that some colleges were asking students to first pay the tuition fees and later seek reimbursement once the government releases scholarship funds, reported PTI.
Patil clarified that such practices are not acceptable and violate the intent of the scheme.
To ensure proper implementation, the government has made it mandatory for every college to appoint a nodal officer responsible for monitoring the execution of the fee waiver programme.
“If any college refuses admission to eligible girl students on the grounds of fees, we will initiate action, including cancellation of affiliation,” Patil said, reported PTI.
Scholarship application process being simplified
The minister also informed the House that the state government is working to simplify the scholarship application process through the MahaDBT Portal.
He said the number of documents required for scholarship applications has been reduced from 17 to eight, and further steps are being taken to streamline the verification process.
The government is also prioritising timely disbursal of scholarship funds and reimbursements to educational institutions.
“Scholarships will be treated with priority similar to salary payments so that students do not face difficulties,” Patil said, reported PTI.
Financial assistance for hostel and campus work
Patil also noted that students who are unable to secure hostel accommodation are eligible for a monthly allowance of up to Rs 6,000 to support their living expenses.
Additionally, the government is considering expanding the “earn and learn” initiative, which allows students to work in college libraries, laboratories or other campus activities while pursuing their studies.
Under this programme, students receive a stipend of around Rs 2,000 per month.
Facilitation centres to assist students
The minister said the state government is planning to establish around 40 facilitation centres across Maharashtra to help students complete scholarship applications and resolve issues related to the process, reported PTI.
He also urged legislators to inform the government if any educational institution is found violating the fee waiver scheme so that immediate action can be taken.
(With inputs from PTI)
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