Aided students asked to pay for unaided division in Mumbai

MUMBAI: On Thursday, 40 second year B Com students from a college in Bandra were asked to pay an additional sum of Rs 6,000 as tuition fee for seeking admission to the third year. The students who were from the aided section of TYB Com were asked to seek admission in the unaided section as there were limited seats. The fees for the aided section was Rs 4,000.
The students and their parents from MMK College, Bandra, cried foul when they were told by the principal that they would only be given admission in the unaided division as no more seats were available in the aided division. However, the college had notified the students that admissions will be given on first-come-first- serve basis. The students had come in late for admission.
Till the second year there were five divisions in the college, four aided and one unaided. The numbers of divisions have come down to four in the final year. "There are only 480 aided seats, 120 per division and the extras will be unaided," said Principal A C Vanjani. When students come in for late admission, the extra students are shifted to the unaided division as the 480 seats have been filled up, he added.
Vanjani said that admissions were is given on 'first come, first serve’ basis and admitting extra seats in the aided division is a violation of the university’s norms.
Parents alleged that they were not informed about the process before. However, Vanjani said, "Notices were displayed and the college cannot be at fault if the students did not pay attention."