State-appointed body finds south Mumbai college charged excess fees

A committee appointed by the state government under the Maharashtra Capitation Fee Act, has proved charges of taking excess fees from students for WiFi service, against Jaihind College. The college, which was earlier cleared of the charge by the University of Mumbai, has been shocked by the new finding, and has said the payment for the service was not mandatory for all students.

Following the report by the committee (that has members from the university) which states that the college charged capitation fee amounting to lakhs in total, the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) has written to the Mumbai University demanding the Best College award given to it (the college), as well as its status of autonomy, be revoked.

The popular college has been fighting the charges of capitation fee levelled against it two years ago. It started a WiFi facility on its Churchgate campus, offering the service to interested students at charges of Rs 1,000 per student per year. Soon after that objections were raised by the students' union MNVS, stating that no such e-facility was approved under the college's fee structure.

"We want strict action against the college as per the Act. Now even the committee that was formed by state government to enquire in the matter has reiterated our observation," said Santosh Gangurde, Vice President of MNVS. The college administration has expressed shock because the complaint was resolved by Mumbai University.

Dr Ashok Wadia, principal of the college explained, "Same charges were levelled against us by the students' union following which an explanation was sought from us by Mumbai University. It was provided and the varsity had satisfactorily accepted it. The then Vice Chancellor had given clearance to the college. Why for the same complaint there is a different reaction from the same university?" The college will resend its explanation.

Dr Wadia further explained, "It was at students' request that the service was offered. It wasn't mandatory and only those who wanted to avail the facility were paying for it. Those who initially paid and then realised that their phones did not support the technology asked for a refund, and it was given. Our college was the first to offer such a service for students' benefit, as well as to help teachers who could flip classes into interactive sessions with it. Now the service has been stopped and students still ask us to bring it back."

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