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In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell launched a dedicated grievance redressal system last week, allowing students to report colleges that charge more than the government-approved fees for professional courses. However, students and parents — especially those seeking admission to medical courses where fee structures are already sky-high — are raising serious concerns about the system’s practical effectiveness.
The move by CET Cell comes amid growing complaints that several colleges are collecting fees under unofficial heads like “development fund,” “campus maintenance,” or “lab upgrades,” despite strict regulations for capping tuition fees. The CET Cell has now made it possible for students to register complaints online or via a dedicated helpline, in order to bring transparency and protect students’ rights during admissions.
In Maharashtra, the Fee Regulating Authority (FRA) sets fees for professional courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Pharmacy, Architecture, MBA, MCA, and Law, among others. The new system is aimed at addressing grievances if any college is charging additional fees, over and above the regulated fee structure. But parents argue that the system may not offer real relief, with colleges charging more on non-tuition fee components, where there are no regulations.
A parent representative, Sudha Shenoy, highlighted that the said system only addresses tuition fee discrepancies, leaving non-tuition components unchecked and unregulated.
“The tuition fees may be regulated, but colleges are charging exorbitantly for hostel, mess, and other services. This nearly doubles the actual cost of education,” she said.
Shenoy pointed out how many candidates and parents come to know of hidden costs increasing overall expenditure, only after reaching the college to confirm admission to the allotted seat. “For example, a candidate may select a college based on the tuition fee fixed by FRA, only to know that hostel and mess charges are more than the tuition fee, after reaching the college to confirm admission,” she said.
Aspirants raised concerns over having to pay the entire fee upfront to confirm admission, despite the grievance, which is then subject to investigation by the CET Cell. One of the candidates said, “In the absence of regulations for non-tuition components of fees, the grievance system becomes meaningless.”
Complaints can be submitted online at https://portal.maharashtracet.org by selecting the ‘Open a New Ticket’ option under the ‘CAP Enquiry → College Fee Complaint’ category. Alternatively, students can call the helpline at 7700919894 between 10 am and 6 pm on working days.
To lodge a valid complaint, students must upload supporting documents such as fee receipts, notices, and relevant correspondence. The complaint must clearly state the student’s name, the college’s name, the course, and a breakdown of the excess fees charged.
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