Nagpur: The Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) has directed that private professional colleges in Maharashtra cannot collect fees beyond the approved amount or demand deposits under different heads. The move aims to curb overcharging practices and protect students and parents from financial exploitation.
The FRA has clarified that deposits for professional courses such as engineering, management, hotel management, and law must be charged only once, within the prescribed maximum limit, and refunded to students after course completion. These provisions were finalized in the FRA meeting on August 28, 2024, and published in the October 2024 regulations for the 2025–26 academic year.
As per Section 14(5) of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015, no institution can charge more than one academic year’s fees in advance. Institutions found violating these rules will face action under Section 20 of the Act, based on complaints from students or parents.