Shillong, April 08: Mr. Luckshwell M Sangma as concern citizen has written to Mr. Rakkam A Sangma Meghalaya education minister urging the state government to regulate of Prospectus and admission form fees and ensuring download availability as per UGC Guidelines.
In the letter to the Education Minister Mr. Luckshwell M Sangma write “I wish to bring to your kind attention an issue that continues to affect students and families, particularly those from economically weaker and rural backgrounds in our state. I am writing to you as a concerned citizen of our state to express my concern regarding the difficulties faced by students during the college admission process, which occurs every academic year”.
In the letter he has stated that “ It has come to notice that some colleges charge high amounts for admission prospectuses and forms. This practice, ongoing for several academic years, creates an additional financial burden on students even before the actual admission process begins”.
Many of these students, especially from daily wage-earning families, need to apply to multiple institutions, which further adds to their hardship. This situation creates barriers to equal access to education, which should be a right for all students regardless of their financial background.
Mr. Luckshwell M Sangma poined out that UGC Guidelines, as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, including the UGC (Affiliation of Colleges by Universities) Regulations, 2023, all colleges whether government or private are required to ensure transparency, affordability, and fairness in the admission process.
The guidelines also direct that admission forms and prospectuses should be made available on the college websites for easy access and download. Constitutional Provision Article 21A: The Right to Education is guaranteed under Article 21A of the Constitution of India.
Imposing high charges for application materials contradicts this right and discourages students from pursuing higher education. Supreme Court Judgments, in landmark coses such as T.MA. Foundation vs. State of Karnataka (2002) and P.A. Inamdar vs. State of Maharashtra (2005), the Supreme Court of India clearly ruled that education is not a business and institutions must not indulge in profiteering fee structures must be fair and regulated.
In this regard, Mr. Luckshwell M Sangma request the Education Minister to fix or regulate the maximum fee that colleges both government and private can charge for admission prospectuses and forms in Meghalaya.
To make mandated all colleges to upload their admission prospectuses and forms on their official websites, allowing students to download them free of cost or at a minimal online charge. Ensure that universities and affiliated colleges comply with UGC guidelines and take corrective measures wherever violations are found.
