Demanding excess fees to be treated as Capitation Fees, invite penal action: Maha FRA warns medical colleges
Mumbai: Clarifying that no Institution is entitled to collect fees of more than one-year fee from the candidate in the academic year and collection of fees of more than one year in an academic year shall be construed as collection of capitation fee, the Fees Regulating Authority (FRA) for Maharashtra's Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions has issued a notification warning medical colleges of strict penal action in case they are found flouting the norms.
This comes in response to numerous complaints received against institutes and colleges allegedly demanding fees above the prescribed rates for admissions under Management, Institutional, or NRI Quotas.
The Commissioner-cum-Competent Authority of the State Entrance Test Cell, State of Maharashtra, has urged the FRA to disclose course-wise maximum fees permissible for students securing admission through these quotas.
In accordance with this request and in light of the escalating complaints, the FRA has issued a comprehensive notification outlining the maximum fees that can be charged by these institutes for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses under Management/Institutional or NRI Quotas.
The FRA's notification stipulates the following upper limits for fees to be charged:
Undergraduate Courses:
Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS): Upper limit of 03 times the regular fees for Institutional/Management Quota and 05 times for NRI Quota
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS): Upper limit of 03 times the regular fees for Institutional/Management Quota and 05 times for NRI Quota
Bachelor of Ayurved Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS), Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPTH), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS): Upper limit of 03 times the regular fees for Institutional/Management Quota and 05 times for NRI Quota
Sr No | Course | Fees to be charged by the Institutions/ Colleges from the students admitted | |
Under Institutional/ Management Quota | Under NRI Quota | ||
l. | Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
2. | Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
3. | Bachelor of Ayurved Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
4. | Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
5. | Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPTH) | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
6. | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
7. | Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) | Upper limit of 03 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
Postgraduate Courses:
Doctor of Medicine (MD) Master of Surgery (MS), Master of Dental Surgery (MDS), Master of Ayurved Medicine and Surgery (PG Ayurved), Master of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (PG Homoeopathy), Master of Physiotherapy (MPTH.), Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Unani Medicine and Surgery (PG Unani): Upper limit of 04 times the regular fees for both Institutional/Management and NRI Quotas
Sr. No. | Course | Fees to be charged by the Institutions/ Colleges from the students admitted | |
Under Institutional/ Management Quota | Under NRI Quota | ||
1. | Doctor of Medicine (MD) Master of Surgery (MS) | Upper limit of 04 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
2. | Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) | Upper limit of 04 times of the reqular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
3. | Master of Ayurved Medicine and Surgery (PG Ayurved) | Upper limit of 04 times of the reqular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
4. | Master of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (PG Homoeopathy) | Upper limit of 04 times of the reqular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
5. | Master of Physiotherapy (MPTH) | Upper limit of 04 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
6. | Master of Occupational Therapy | Upper limit of 04 times of the reqular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
7. | Master of Unani Medicine and Surgery (PG Unani) | Upper limit of 04 times of the regular fees | Upper limit of 05 times of the regular fees |
The FRA has sternly directed all institutes and colleges to strictly adhere to these prescribed fee limits. Demanding or charging fees higher than the stipulated rates violates the provisions of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015. Violators are liable for penal action under Section 20 of the Act.
Students or parents encountering demands for fees exceeding the stipulated amounts are urged to file written complaints directly at the FRA office or via the Grievance Portal (www.mahafra.org) or through the email address: fra.govmh@gmail.com.
Additionally, as per Section 14(4) of the said Act of 2015, institutes must prominently display the course-wise approved fees in both Marathi and English on their notice boards and websites. Linguistic Minority Institutions must also display fees in the relevant minority language.
Moreover, in accordance with Section 14(5) of the Act, institutions cannot collect fees exceeding one year's amount in an academic year, as doing so would be construed as the collection of capitation fees, leading to severe penalties.
The FRA cautions that any breach of these regulations will result in stringent actions against the erring institutions or colleges.
To view the original notification, click on the link below:
