Patil slams mismanagement by institutes, urges fee reforms for girls' education

Hindustan Times

13-05-2025

PUNE Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil on Sunday served a firm message to private educational institutions, calling out poor management despite substantial financial support provided by the government.
Speaking at an event organised by the Progressive Education Society and the Association of Self-Financed Institutes, Patil said, 'Institutions must take their responsibilities seriously and improve both transparency and accountability.'
The minister pointed out that nearly 80 per cent of students in Maharashtra are covered under various scholarship schemes that pay either 50 per cent or the full tuition fee. He said that with this level of support, running an educational institution should not be financially challenging. 'However, managing an institution is not just about receiving funds. The administrators must step up. That responsibility is not being fulfilled,' Patil remarked.
He also criticised the lack of initiative shown by institutions in securing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, despite Maharashtra being home to a large number of companies. 'Appoint dedicated officers to pursue CSR funding; this will significantly reduce dependence on government grants and ease their financial burden,' he said.
Addressing the issue of vacant seats, Patil revealed that last year, 16,000 seats in pharmacy courses, 50,000 in engineering, and another 50,000 in BBA courses remained unfilled. In light of this, he proposed that no new engineering or pharmacy colleges should be approved for the next two years. He urged the state government to exercise its regulatory powers to enforce this freeze and address the declining demand.
Patil also discussed the government's push to support girls' education. Even in the absence of formal demands from institutions, the government, he said, had taken the lead in launching a scheme that provides free professional education to female students. The state has waived 100 per cent of tuition and examination fees for 50 per cent of girl students, with an allocation of ₹900 crore.
However, Patil expressed concern over the additional fees charged by some institutions, often exceeding the tuition amount, and indicated that the government is considering bringing these non-tuition charges under regulatory oversight. He said there were plans to reimburse such costs under the scholarship framework, which would increase transparency and reduce financial pressure on students.
To provide further support, Patil announced a plan under the 'Earn and Learn' initiative to offer monthly stipends of ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 to 25 per cent of all female students.
Gajanan Ekbote, president, Progressive Education Society, said, 'University regulations must evolve in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), as the global higher education landscape is changing rapidly.' He added that structural reforms are necessary to stay relevant and competitive.