No extra fee if students want to switch to another junior college: Education dept

The school education department has asked colleges not to collect fees for the new academic session from students who want to move to another college.

In a recent letter to the junior colleges affiliated to the state board, the deputy directorate of education, Mumbai region, said, “Students who want to change colleges should not be forced by their current institution to pay fees for the new session right now.”

They can pay the fees to the institution if they do not get admission anywhere else in the online admission process. “Colleges must abide by this rule and ensure that the department doesn’t receive any complaints against them,” stated the letter.

HSC admissions will be conducted online for the coming session, much like first-year junior college (FYJC) online process.

The move is aimed at making Class 12 admissions transparent and curbing malpractices such as donations and non-merit-based admissions.

Students aspiring to switch colleges in Class 12 will need to fill out an application that will soon become available on the portal mumbai.11thadmission.net.

Students will, however, need a ‘valid reason’ to move to another college. The department stated that students can make the switch only if they choose a different stream, a college closer to home, or if they have recently moved or their parents have been transferred to another part of the city.

Many students look to change colleges in the middle of Class 11 or Class 12 if they want to get admission at a college of their choice especially if they are unhappy with the college allotted to them in the FYJC online admissions. The new rule will make it tough for them.

Junior colleges are waiting for the department to declare timetable for online admission process before implementing the changes. “Many students who want to change their college have approached us. We have asked them to submit applications and we will admit them only after the online process begins,” said Kavita Rege, principal, Sathaye College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Vile Parle.