Chandrakant Patil directs educational authorities to conduct 2nd CET to address student concerns
Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday directed education authorities to conduct a second Common Entrance Test (CET) to address concerns over low student turnout and stringent admission criteria that have discouraged applicants from enrolling in undergraduate programmes for the academic year 2025-26.
Patil held a meeting in this regard attended by medical education minister Hasan Mushrif and representatives of Shivaji University Development Front and college principals' associations to assess the impact of rigid conditions placed on the admission process for BBA and BCA courses. It was pointed out that many students had missed the first CET and were at the risk of losing out on admissions entirely. In light of these issues, Patil instructed the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education to organise a second CET to ensure that no eligible students are denied the opportunity to apply. A formal notification for the second CET is expected to be issued in the next two days.
Addressing broader structural concerns, Patil assured the attendees that the state government would recommend to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) a reduction in affiliation fees and security deposits required for these programmes. These financial burdens, according to many college representatives, are creating barriers to entry for both students and institutions.
'Our aim is to ensure that no student loses a chance at higher education due to technicalities or financial obstacles. We have taken serious note of the issues raised about the BBA and BCA admission process. Therefore, I have instructed officials to conduct another round of CET so that all willing students can apply. Furthermore, we will be recommending to the AICTE that the affiliation fees and caution deposit norms be relaxed to make education more accessible and affordable,' said Patil.
Among those present at the meeting were Shivaji University Development Front vice-president Bhaiyya Mane, principal D R More, advocate Dhairyashil Patil, principal Dr V M Patil, higher education secretary Venugopal Reddy, director Shailendra Deolankar, technical education director Vinod Mohitkar, and joint director Prakash Bachhav. Their collective appeal underscored the urgent need for reforms to support aspiring students across Maharashtra.
Prajakta Jadhav, an aspiring student from Pune, said, 'I had planned to pursue a BCA degree this year, but I missed the earlier CET because the schedule was unclear and I couldn't gather all the required documents in time due to financial issues. The strict conditions and lack of proper communication left many of us feeling helpless. I was really worried I would lose an entire academic year. Now that the government has announced a second CET, it feels like a second chance. I hope they also reduce the fees and make the process easier, especially for students like me from rural and economically weaker backgrounds.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Delay of Eknath Shinde's chartered flight aids kidney patient's timely airlift to Mumbai
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde's take off from Jalgaon to Mumbai on Friday night was delayed as pilot of the chartered flight initially refused to fly owing to the breach of scheduled flying hours. The flight eventually took off after fresh permission was taken and he was persuaded by the ruling party leaders. Shinde's office, however, said that delay helped them airlift a kidney failure patient who could reach Mumbai in time for her transplant. Shinde was in Jalgaon to attend 'Palkhi Yatra' of Sant Muktai in Muktainagar on Friday evening. His schedule was delayed and when he came to the airport for his journey to Mumbai, the pilot pointed at the delay in scheduled flying and rules of the duty hours for the pilots. Gulabrao Patil, water supply and sanitation minister, and Shiv Sena leader said that the pilot did not refuse to fly, instead, there was some technical problem related to his duty hours delaying the flying. 'He had completed eight hours and 45 minutes of nine hours of his duty hours, and said he could not fly without the permission from the authorities. He then spoke to his company, which sought the permissions from the authorities. After the permission, Shinde saheb flew by 9.45pm from Jalgaon airport,' Patil said. Patil further added that delay helped them airlift a kidney patient from Jalgaon. 'The patient had to be admitted to a Mumbai hospital by midnight for a kidney transplant. The patient had missed her flight and would have missed her claim over kidney in case of delay in hospital admission. The delay to Shinde proved a 'blessing in disguise',' he said. The minister said that Shinde was delayed to take off as he arrived late in Jalgaon in the afternoon because of delay to take off from Pune owing to bad weather. The statement issued by Shinde's office, has stated that the delay helped a kidney patient in getting her admitted to the Mumbai office. 'The relatives of the patients contacted Shinde through water resources minister Girish Mahajan for the airlifting of the patient Sheetal Borade." 'Shinde asked two of his party workers to stayback to accommodate Borade and her husband on the flight. Shinde not only took them on the board, but also asked to arrange a special ambulance at the Mumbai airport,' it reads. Girish Mahajan said that the pilot had a health related issue and was convinced after they spoke to the company that owned the aircraft. Borade family has thanked Shinde for the timely help.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Sugar co-ops face govt action for loan default
MUMBAI: The state government has decided to take to task respective board of directors of 31 sugar cooperatives that were extended margin money loans (down payment) and have defaulted in paying back the first two instalments. The loans were disbursed to the cooperatives, linked to prominent politicians, in tranches ahead of the Lok Sabha election in August 2024, and thereafter in March 2025. The cumulative amount totals ₹4,355 crore. Some of the sugar factories that have taken loans are controlled by top Maharashtra leaders -- Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (BJP), Harshavardhan Patil (NCP-SP), Shivendraraje Bhosale (BJP), Sanjay Mandalik (Shiv Sena), Hassan Mushrif (NCP), among others. The loan taken by each sugar factory is approximately between ₹40 crore and ₹300 crore. The government did not disclose who among them, or 26 others, were defaulters. People in the know of things from the government have said if the money is not recovered in a month the government will dissolve the boards and recover dues by attaching personal immovable properties of respective directors – this was the norm in August 2023, which was diluted in subsequent years, and has been reinstated now. The cash-strapped government has been compelled to take this step as it has ended up paying back instalments to the bank – ₹79 crore in the interest on loan in January -- on behalf of the factories, said a senior officer in the cooperation department. The government stood bank guarantee for the margin money loan from National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), controlled by the central government. The loan, at 9.46%, is lower than the market rate, and is given for eight years, with the actual repayment of the principal amount beginning in the third year of the disbursement. Factories are expected to pay interest on the loan for the first two years. Most have failed to pay the interest component, compelling the government to bear the burden. Explaining the government's move, the officer said, 'If things are not set right, the burden of repayment of loans in the first two years will be over ₹350 crore, which will increase with time once the repayment of the principal amount begins.' He added, strict norms were laid out following poor recovery from the factories. 'Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, finally decided it was time for hard talk,' he said. Babasaheb Patil, cooperation minister and NCP leader, said, 'We have made it mandatory for sugar factories to first pay the FRP (fair and remunerative price) and the loans from selling the sugar produced from the season which ended last month.' Patil added that the loan was not being used for the purpose it was taken – on upgradation of factories, setting up distilleries, etc. Most of it, he said, was utilised in paying salaries. 'Stricter norms will help the government to restrict non-deserving factories from availing bank guarantee from the government.' PR Patil, chairman, Maharashtra State Cooperative Sugar Factories Federation, found the state's conditions unrealistic. 'The state cannot dissolve the board of directors and mortgage immovable properties. It will it not stand in court,' he said.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Chandrakant Patil directs educational authorities to conduct 2nd CET to address student concerns
Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday directed education authorities to conduct a second Common Entrance Test (CET) to address concerns over low student turnout and stringent admission criteria that have discouraged applicants from enrolling in undergraduate programmes for the academic year 2025-26. Patil held a meeting in this regard attended by medical education minister Hasan Mushrif and representatives of Shivaji University Development Front and college principals' associations to assess the impact of rigid conditions placed on the admission process for BBA and BCA courses. It was pointed out that many students had missed the first CET and were at the risk of losing out on admissions entirely. In light of these issues, Patil instructed the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education to organise a second CET to ensure that no eligible students are denied the opportunity to apply. A formal notification for the second CET is expected to be issued in the next two days. Addressing broader structural concerns, Patil assured the attendees that the state government would recommend to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) a reduction in affiliation fees and security deposits required for these programmes. These financial burdens, according to many college representatives, are creating barriers to entry for both students and institutions. 'Our aim is to ensure that no student loses a chance at higher education due to technicalities or financial obstacles. We have taken serious note of the issues raised about the BBA and BCA admission process. Therefore, I have instructed officials to conduct another round of CET so that all willing students can apply. Furthermore, we will be recommending to the AICTE that the affiliation fees and caution deposit norms be relaxed to make education more accessible and affordable,' said Patil. Among those present at the meeting were Shivaji University Development Front vice-president Bhaiyya Mane, principal D R More, advocate Dhairyashil Patil, principal Dr V M Patil, higher education secretary Venugopal Reddy, director Shailendra Deolankar, technical education director Vinod Mohitkar, and joint director Prakash Bachhav. Their collective appeal underscored the urgent need for reforms to support aspiring students across Maharashtra. Prajakta Jadhav, an aspiring student from Pune, said, 'I had planned to pursue a BCA degree this year, but I missed the earlier CET because the schedule was unclear and I couldn't gather all the required documents in time due to financial issues. The strict conditions and lack of proper communication left many of us feeling helpless. I was really worried I would lose an entire academic year. Now that the government has announced a second CET, it feels like a second chance. I hope they also reduce the fees and make the process easier, especially for students like me from rural and economically weaker backgrounds.'
