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Hindustan Times
03-08-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
FRA approved fees for 695 colleges after deadline, claims student body
MUMBAI: A youth organisation has accused Maharashtra's Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) of violating state law by approving fee proposals from nearly 695 unaided professional colleges well past the statutory deadline of October 31, 2024. FRA approved fees for 695 colleges after deadline, claims student body In a letter to the principal secretary of the higher and technical education department, Yuva Sena — the youth wing of Shiv Sena (UBT) — alleged that the FRA's decision flouts provisions of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fees) Act, 2015. Kalpesh Yadav, state joint secretary of Yuva Sena, cited Clause 14 of the Act, which mandates that colleges submit their fee proposals by October 31 for the next academic year beginning in June. 'If an institute misses this deadline, it cannot revise or hike fees for the upcoming academic year,' Yadav said, adding that colleges can only challenge FRA's decision within 15 days, and FRA must deliver a final verdict before March 31. 'This year, the FRA repeatedly extended the deadline even after October 31 and has now allowed submissions until August 15. This is a blatant violation of the law,' Yadav claimed. He warned that if the state government fails to intervene, Yuva Sena is prepared to seek judicial remedy. Responding to the allegations, FRA member Adv. Dharmendra Mishra acknowledged the statutory timelines but defended the authority's actions. He said the FRA's internal norms require colleges to seek annual fee approvals to ensure transparency and prevent unjustified hikes. 'Colleges are allowed to skip one year of revision — but only without increasing fees. In all other years, they must approach FRA for approval. If we reject late submissions outright, colleges might sidestep the process entirely and impose arbitrary fees on students,' Mishra said. He explained that the FRA accepts late submissions with penalties to ensure fees remain regulated. Mishra also disclosed that one college has filed a petition in the High Court challenging the FRA's functioning and the constitutional validity of the Act itself. 'The matter has been pending for four years, but we are clear: all colleges must come to us annually for fee regulation. We will also recommend changes to the Act to formalise this requirement,' he added. Directors missing from key FRA meetings Yadav further raised concerns about poor departmental representation in FRA meetings. 'As per the law, directors of technical and medical education departments are ex-officio FRA members. But they have skipped at least 205 meetings where college fees were finalised,' he said. Another FRA member, while confirming these absences, said stronger departmental participation is essential for a more robust and accountable regulatory framework.
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Yuva Sena alleges 695 institutes got illegal fee hike nod; FRA says everything as per rules
Pune: Representatives of Yuva Sena, the Shiv Sena's youth wing, recently submitted a complaint letter to Maharashtra Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) on Friday, accusing it of illegally approving fee hikes for 695 unaided professional institutions in the state. According to the letter, the fee hikes were approved after the legally mandated date of Oct 31, in violation of Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fees) Act, 2015, resulting in financial exploitation of students. Kalpesh Yadav, the president of Yuva Sena, demanded that all fee hike approvals granted after the official deadlines be immediately withdrawn. He also requested FRA to instruct institutions to charge fees based on previous academic year's approved structure. "The rules state that if FRA's decision is not acceptable to a college, it should file a re-application within 15 days, and FRA is expected to arrive at a decision before March 31. But this time, FRA extended the dates to apply for fee hikes multiple times after Oct 31, and the latest order asks colleges to apply before August 15 for any fee-related approval. It is like they are encouraging colleges to apply, which is illegal, and we will move court if they don't reverse the decisions taken on applications after Oct 31," said Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary, Yuva Sena. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune However, Arjun Chikhale, member secretary, FRA, said that there is a provision in law to give extensions to colleges to apply. "There is nothing illegal in the process of giving extensions, and FRA has the right to give extensions. We tried to explain all this to the complainant also. FRA has not done anything illegal."
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Students & parents advised to be careful during admission season
With the admission season having started, several parents across Maharashtra are finding themselves caught in a web of fraudulent agents promising guaranteed seats in prestigious professional colleges under the management quota. In the past two months alone, at least three to four such cases have occurred raising concerns over the transparency of the admission process in private and deemed universities. Many students with average academic marks, along with their parents, attempt to secure seats in reputed institutions through alternative routes. (HT) Despite recent amendments to the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, which mandate a transparent admission process for management quota seats in professional courses such as engineering, pharmacy, MBA, MCA, and architecture, the situation on the ground is anything but. While affiliated colleges are required to follow stricter norms, private and deemed universities have been granted complete autonomy which grants agents access to thrive. A parent told Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity, 'I came across an agent through a Prime Shiksha advertisement on social media. When I contacted them, they asked me to visit their office at Agarwal Business Park in Kharadi. The agent's name was Deepak Agarwal, and two others Vineet and Shivam Sharma. They initially asked ₹ 13 lakh for admission to engineering at PICT through the NRI and institute quota. After some discussion, the deal was fixed at ₹ 12 lakh. We even visited the college and filled out a form and I paid them ₹ 12 lakh. They told us that the college would send an admission confirmation through email. However, when I tried to contact them the next day, their phones were switched off, and the office was locked. My son scored 92% which is quite good. I want to warn other parents; please don't fall for such agents.' Responding to this, Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary of Yuva Sena, said, 'The criteria for management quota admissions is that they should be carried out based on merit. Last year, we successfully completed the admission of 383 students purely on merit, without taking a single rupee and we are also raising voice against it.' Cities like Pune and Nashik, which host some of the state's top institutions, are witnessing a surge in demand for management quota seats. Many students with average academic marks, along with their parents, attempt to secure seats in reputed institutions through alternative routes. In doing so, they often rely on admission agents, many of whom turn out to be fraudsters. In Pune, at least three to four such fraud cases have surfaced in the last year, with parents reportedly losing lakhs of rupees. The agents exploit the urgency and emotional vulnerability of families keen on securing their child's academic future. As a result, many institutes and government officials are urging families to avoid falling for promises of guaranteed admissions. Several institutions have started issuing public advisories, warning against dealing with unverified agents. To address the rising number of complaints, support groups such as the Innovation Foundation and Yuva Sena have set up helplines for students and parents facing admission-related issues. 'Last year, we helped several students who had been defrauded by these agents. This year, too, our helpline is open to assist anyone in need,' said Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary of Yuva Sena. The helpline number for assistance is 9623337777.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Swara Bhasker supports Kunal Kamra, takes a jibe at viral threat call over his Tamil Nadu location
In March, Kunal Kamra stirred controversy with his remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister . Recently, actor expressed her support for Kamra on Instagram, cleverly responding to a threatening call from a supporter who targeted Kamra after learning he was in . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Joyful Moments Captured in Photos Swara posted two photos featuring herself alongside Kamra, both sporting white attire and sharing warm smiles, reflecting a joyful moment. On one of the pictures, she included the phrase, 'Tamil Nadu kaise pahuchega bhai (How will you reach Tamil Nadu)?' directly referencing Kunal's clever reply to the threatening call he received. Caption and Location Tag In the caption, the actress wrote, 'Someone once asked… 'TamilNadu kaisey pahunchega bhai?' (laughing face emoticon) Featuring one and only @kuna_kamra.' The post was geo-tagged at Tamil Nadu. The Threatening Call Explained For the unversed, in a 53-second audio clip that surfaced, Kunal was subjected to verbal abuse by a caller who threatened that Kamra would suffer the same consequences as the Mumbai studio targeted during his criticism of Eknath Shinde. When Kamra mentioned he was in Tamil Nadu, the caller questioned, 'Tamil Nadu kaise pahuchega bhai,' before instructing him to 'Talk to our sir, one minute,' and then abruptly ended the call. The Controversial Parody Song During one of his performances, Kunal presented a parody of the hit song "Bholi Si Surat" from 'Dil To Pagal Hai', which took aim at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This act sparked multiple FIRs against him and prompted Shinde's youth wing, Yuva Sena, to vandalise The Habitat, the location where the show was recorded.
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Swara Bhasker is all smiles as she poses with Kunal Kamra, takes a dig at viral call on his location in Tamil Nadu
Kunal Kamra found himself in the midst of a fresh controversy over his comments against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in March. Actor Swara Bhasker has now shown her support for the stand-up comedian with a new Instagram post, where she took a fresh dig at the viral call made by a Shiv Sena supporter threatening Kunal when he said that he is in Tamil Nadu. (Also read: BookMyShow releases statement after Kunal Kamra asks ticketing platform not to 'delist' him: 'Facts been misrepresented') Swara Bhasker met stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra in Tamil Nadu. Swara shared a pair of pictures in which she was seen with Kunal. The two of them were seen in a light-hearted mood as they smiled in the pictures. Both of them also twinned in white outfits. 'Tamil Nadu kaise pahuchega bhai (How will you reach Tamil Nadu)?' was written on the picture, a direct reference to how Kunal responded to the threats received in the call. In the caption, Swara wrote, 'Someone once asked… 'TamilNadu kaisey pahunchega bhai?' (laughing face emoticon) Featuring one and only @kuna_kamra.' The post was geo-tagged at Tamil Nadu. Several users reacted to the post and the caption with laughing face emoticons. One said, 'You reached swara ji congratulations.' 'Haha what a line! And the way that guy delivered it….. damn funny.' About the call For the unversed, in a recording of the 53-second audio clip, the caller was heard abusing Kunal Kamra and saying that he would meet the same fate as the studio in Mumbai, where he targeted Mr Shinde. When the comedian said that he was currently in Tamil Nadu, the caller said: "Tamil Nadu kaise pahuchega bhai (How to reach Tamil Nadu now)?" He then said, "Talk to our sir, one minute." The call was then disconnected. Kunal sang a parody of Bholi Si Surat, a popular song from the Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai at one of his shows. With this parody song, he allegedly targeted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leading to multiple FIRs against him. Following the controversy, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena youth group, Yuva Sena, vandalised The Habitat, the venue where the show was filmed.
