Maharashtra college fees will have to match the amounts approved by the Fee Regulating Authority (FRA), with the State Common Entrance Test Cell warning institutions of legal action and possible cancellation of admissions if they collect unauthorised charges, Loksatta – Pune reported on September 10, 2026.
The warning applies to professional-course admissions for the 2026-27 academic year, including admissions against vacant seats and management-quota seats. The CET Cell has directed colleges to collect only the fees approved by the FRA and has said that asking students for additional amounts or cash payments outside the approved fee structure is illegal.
The instructions were issued after a complaint about excessive fee collection was submitted to the CET Cell by Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary of the Yuva Sena, according to the report. CET Cell Commissioner Dilip Sardesai subsequently issued a circular setting out the requirements for educational institutions.
Under the instructions, colleges must display the official FRA order approving their fees on the institution’s notice board and publish it on their website. The order is intended to allow students and parents to check the approved amount before completing the admission process.
The CET Cell said institutions found collecting fees in violation of the approved structure would face strict legal action. It also warned that admissions made by such institutions could be cancelled if they were found to have been conducted in breach of the rules.
The notice comes as the centralised admission process for professional courses enters its final stage. With vacant-seat and management-quota admissions continuing, students may be required to deal directly with institutions while completing admission formalities. The CET Cell’s instructions specifically address complaints received during this period about excessive and unauthorised fee demands.
The reported directions cover both the amount charged and the manner in which payment is sought. In addition to prohibiting fees above the FRA-approved amount, the CET Cell has stated that institutions cannot demand extra charges or require students to pay in cash outside the authorised fee structure.
Students and parents have been advised to submit complaints relating to fee collection to the CET Cell and the Fee Regulating Authority. The instructions place responsibility on colleges to publicly disclose their approved fee orders while the admission process for the 2026-27 academic year is underway.
The CET Cell’s warning remains tied to compliance with the FRA-approved fee order. Institutions continuing admissions during the vacant-seat and management-quota phase are expected to display and publish the relevant order and collect only the approved amount.
