NEET PG: Maharashtra ARA directs medical college to follow approved fee after Rs 60 lakh MS ENT seat row
Maharashtra: The Maharashtra Admissions Regulating Authority (ARA) has directed a private medical college in the state to adhere to its fixed fee structure.
The directive came after a postgraduate (PG) medical candidate complained that the college refused to admit him and demanded a higher fee.
According to the student's complaint, Dr Rajendra Gode Medical College in Amravati allegedly demanded Rs 60 lakh for an MS (ENT) seat he received under the institutional quota in the third round of state-level NEET PG counselling. However, he refused to pay the amount, and therefore, the officials refused to confirm his admission until he agreed to pay the money.
Following the complaint, the ARA's Grievance Redressal Committee held an online hearing. Therefore, according to the ARA, the amount in question was an ad-hoc fee, and the final fee for the 2025-26 academic year will be determined by the Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA), according to the report Career360.
In this regard, ARA has also released a statement, which stated that “The concerned college has been instructed to complete the admission process by charging only the fee determined by the FRA and not to collect any additional amount. The college has been directed to inform the student accordingly and submit a report of the admission to the state CET Cell. The committee has further recommended that if these instructions are not followed, appropriate action should be taken against the concerned college as per the provisions of the Act”.
Meanwhile, the student has been asked to confirm her admission on February 18. ARA stated that the student had resolved the "misunderstanding" regarding fees after speaking with college officials. However, the Maharashtra CET Cell is responsible for NEET PG counselling in the state.
The fees for all private, unaided colleges in Maharashtra are set by the FRA based on the institute's income and expenses. For new colleges and courses, such as the PG program at Amravati College, an ad-hoc fee is set, which is later changed after the institute's proposal.
