Though everybody is facing new problems due to pandemic, the Government seemed to have kept mum about the old issues. The issue of reimbursement of scholarships given to colleges against the fees of students of reserved category keeps troubling the colleges. This has resulted in the closure of several colleges, especially the professional ones. This year too Maharashtra’s Mahavikas Aaghadi Government has not yet released the amount of scholarship to be paid to engineering, management colleges of entire Maharashtra against the tuition fee of the students of reserved category. Scholarship amount to be disbursed to the Vidarbha’s professional colleges alone is over Rs 300 crore. Of the total estimated amount, Rs 200 crore is of this session while Government has failed to release around Rs 100 crore of the previous years.

 

Vidarbha Un-Aided Engineering Colleges Management's Association (VUECMA) has urged State Government to release both the installments of Tuition Fee Scholarship at a time for the session 2020-21. Government of Maharashtra started the MahaDBT online Scholarship portal in the month of February, 2021 and the online submission of application forms by the students are still going on for the renewal (existing students) as well as for new admitted students. The last date of form submission is March 31, 2021. Government got late in activating the MahaDBT Online portal this year due to COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, MahaDBT online portal used to start in July every year and submission of Scholarship application forms of renewal (existing students) took place from July month.

 

The submission of newly admitted students too used to commence immediately after the submission of applications’ renewal by existing students. All the Engineering Colleges and Polytechnics used to receive part of tuition fee scholarship amount in their bank accounts in January or February towards 1st installment. Similarly, the State Government authority use to start and activate the MahaDBT Online Scholarship Portal in the month of January again for 2nd installment of tuition fee scholarship, the amount of which is released in the month of April or May every year. Due to the exorbitant delay of more than 7 to 8 months in the starting the MahaDBT Online Scholarship portal by the State Government this year for Session 2020-21, Vidarbha Un-Aided Engineering College Management's Association has demanded release of Tuition Fee Scholarship amount of both (first and second installment) together in one stroke as the 1st installment this year got delayed to all the colleges of engineering, polytechnic, architecture, pharmacy, MBA, etc. It has almost become difficult to pay the salaries of the staff of professional colleges.

 

The office bearers of Vidarbha Un-Aided Engineering Colleges Management's Association has decided to meet Ministers of Maharashtra Vijay Waddettiwar (Cabinet Minister Relief and Rehabilitation, OBC, VJNT) and Dhananjay Munde (Social Justice and Special Assistance) and will urge for release of both the installments of tuition fee scholarship at one instance immediately. Due to the delay in the release of scholarship amount, majority of the professional colleges have not paid the salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff since last 6 to 8 months. There is a severe unrest among the employees for non payment of salaries on time. Colleges are facing financial crunch and some will not have any option than to sell-out the institutions in case issue remained unresolved.