Maharashtra: Colleges and Universities To Fully Disclose Fee Structures, Faculty Details, and Placement Opportunities

Pune, 9th February 2024: Students and parents across the state will soon gain access to an extensive database containing detailed information about colleges and universities. The state government, in response to a directive from the University Grants Commission (UGC), issued a resolution on Thursday, making it mandatory for educational institutions to provide a thorough disclosure of various aspects.

Under the new resolution, colleges and universities are required to disclose comprehensive details about their institutions, covering a spectrum of information. This includes a breakdown of fees, refund policies, information on placements and internship opportunities, hostel facilities, scholarships, and more. Additionally, institutions must disclose details about their teaching staff, including employment status (temporary, regular, or visiting), qualifications, research work, work experience, PhD status, and other relevant information.

The government resolution emphasizes that this disclosure should be made on the institutions’ portals at least 60 days before the commencement of degree college admissions. Institutions are not only expected to publish the previous year’s admission cutoffs but also provide information on the number of applications received and the actual number of students enrolled.

Furthermore, if a college has any foreign collaborations, it is mandatory to disclose details of the foreign university and its accreditation status in its home country. The government has also outlined an exhaustive list of infrastructure requirements, including internet bandwidth, and has requested a video showcasing the same. Additionally, every college must publish details about its student grievance redressal committee and ombudsperson, along with rules specifying maximum fines for violations.

While some leading colleges and universities have already shared part of this data, a significant majority is yet to comply. Concerns have been raised about the potential revelation of inadequacies, particularly in unaided colleges with a reported shortage of qualified teachers.

A former university official commented, “Full disclosure will likely expose the challenges faced by many unaided colleges.”

A principal also acknowledged the challenge, stating, “Uploading such extensive data in a specified format 60 days before admissions will be a daunting task.”