The College of Engineering Pune (COEP), one of Maharashtra’s premier educational institutions, is facing serious backlash after allegations that the college had been illegally charging fees to Scheduled Caste (SC) students, violating state government regulations.
According to the Social Welfare Department of Maharashtra, SC students are entitled to 100% reimbursement of tuition and development fees for engineering and MCA courses under several scholarship and freeship schemes.
A formal complaint with the Social Welfare Commissioner revealed the alleged violations, prompting the commissioner to demand immediate corrective action. The college has been instructed to refund the illegally collected fees and comply strictly with the government’s fee structure and scholarship provisions policies.
These allegations have sparked outrage from student groups and education activists, who have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in COEP’s fee collection processes. The controversy has also highlighted institutional adherence to government policies to support underprivileged students.
The Social Welfare Department’s schemes, such as the Post-Matric Tuition Fee and Examination Fee (Freeship), Maintenance Allowance, and the Rajarshri Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Merit Scholarship, were implemented to alleviate the financial burden on SC students, promoting social inclusion and equal access to education. COEP’s alleged actions threaten to erode trust in these initiatives, raising questions about the institution's commitment to fostering an equitable learning environment.
As per the Pune Mirror report, education advocates urge the authorities to take swift and decisive action to ensure that other institutions do not engage in similar practices. There are also calls for more stringent audits of educational institutions to prevent violations of state-mandated scholarship and freeship schemes.
While COEP has yet to issue a formal statement, the Social Welfare Commissioner’s office has clarified that non-compliance will not be tolerated and that educational institutions are expected to uphold their responsibilities in promoting equal opportunity for all students, irrespective of caste or financial background.