Maharashtra plans new colleges beyond university five-year plans; CET centres to increase

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the formation of a sub-committee to examine locations that fall outside universitiesâ existing five-year plans for setting up new colleges from the 2027-28 academic year. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Maharashtra State Higher Education and Development Commission (MAHED) chaired by Fadnavis at the state secretariat on Tuesday.

The move could open the way for new colleges in areas that are currently not covered by the expansion plans prepared by universities. The state Higher and Technical Education Department already maintains five-year plans for universities as part of the process for planning new colleges.

Panel to examine locations beyond university plans

According to PTI, the proposed sub-committee will scrutinise locations that have already been found eligible by universities. It will also examine representations received from public representatives and educational institutions seeking new colleges in areas not included in the universitiesâ five-year plans.

The panel will assess the required criteria before submitting its recommendations to the state government.

The final decision on the establishment of new colleges will therefore follow the committeeâs examination and recommendations.

The move is aimed at widening access to higher education by considering locations that may have been left outside the existing university-level expansion plans.

Maharashtra looks to expand access to higher education

The decision comes against the backdrop of the stateâs continuing efforts to expand higher and technical education infrastructure. The governmentâs existing framework provides for five-year planning for the establishment of new colleges, while the New College Approval System is used for processing proposals related to colleges and academic programmes.

By examining additional locations separately, the government will be able to consider demands that do not fall within the current plans of individual universities.

The focus will be on assessing whether the proposed locations meet the prescribed requirements before they are considered for further action.

CET exam centres to be increased across Maharashtra

The meeting also focused on the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted for admissions to professional courses in the state.

Fadnavis directed officials to increase the number of CET examination centres so that students can get centres closer to their places of residence. The move is intended to reduce the distance candidates have to travel to appear for entrance examinations.

At the same time, the chief minister stressed that increasing the number of centres should not come at the cost of examination security or transparency. The CET Cell has been asked to put in place an effective mechanism to monitor and control examination centres.

Engineering admission process for 2026-27 reviewed

CET Cell Commissioner Dilip Sardesai presented the status of the engineering admission process for the 2026-27 academic year during the meeting.

The discussions also covered measures to make the centralised admission process simpler and more transparent for students. The government is also looking at ways to make the admission process more student-friendly.

The Directorate of Technical Education has been handling various admission-related processes for technical education in Maharashtra, including centralised admission and institution-level processes for professional courses.

Share of female engineering students rises

The meeting also highlighted an increase in the participation of female students in engineering courses following the state government's decision to provide free higher education to women.

According to figures cited at the meeting, the proportion of girls among engineering admissions rose from 32.72% in 2023-24 to 37.27% in 2026-27.

The increase was presented by the state government as an indication of greater participation of women in engineering education. The government has also been focusing on increasing women's participation in professional and technical courses.

The latest decisions on new colleges and CET centres are expected to shape the higher education and admission infrastructure for students in Maharashtra in the coming academic years.

(With inputs from PTI)

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