Maharashtra FRA Cracks Down On Colleges Over Excessive Fees, Plans Surprise Inspections

The Maharashtra Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) has intensified its probe into state colleges over allegations of excessive fee collection. According to media reports, nearly 50 institutions offering medical, dental, pharmacy, and Ayurvedic courses are under scrutiny for charging fees beyond approved limits, including additional costs for uniforms, practical books, gymkhana, internal exams, hostels, and fines for low attendance.

Students Raise Concerns

According to the Mid Day report, students from Nashik, Parli, and Mumbai have reported coercive fee collection practices, including withholding original documents until extra fees are paid. Some colleges are accused of misleading students about scholarships, especially for girls, while one Ayurvedic college allegedly demanded over ₹1 lakh from Scheduled Caste students. Teachers have also raised grievances regarding delayed retirement dues and gratuities.

Virtual Inspections Underway

Moreover, FRA has started inspecting colleges virtually due to limited staff. On September 23, six institutions across Pune, Mumbai, Amravati, and Parli were reviewed. Dharam Mishra, FRA committee member, stated, “All colleges will submit bank statements soon, and stricter random inspections are planned. Virtual tours via video calls are currently being conducted to assess facilities,” as reported by Mid Day.

Maharashtra Private Colleges: Fee Proposal Submission Window Open for 2026-27

Meanwhile, all unaided private professional colleges and institutions in Maharashtra offering graduate and/or postgraduate courses affiliated with state universities are informed that the online portal for submitting fee approval proposals for the academic year 2026-2027 will be active from September 19, 2025. Institutions can also indicate their option to opt for ‘No Upward Revision’ of fees through the portal. The submission window will remain open until midnight, October 31, 2025.

Transparency Measures

To ensure accountability, FRA plans to introduce a watermark on college websites for verified fee structures. Students are advised to pay only sanctioned fees and report any excess amounts. The authority warned that extra fees will be treated as illegal capitation and penalised.

Surprise Inspections from October

According to the earlier reports, starting October, the FRA will conduct unannounced inspections across Maharashtra’s professional colleges. The authority regulates over 4,000 institutions, covering courses in medicine, engineering, pharmacy, and management. These inspections aim to ensure that colleges’ claimed facilities, faculty, and infrastructure match their fee proposals, curbing financial exploitation and safeguarding students’ interests.