Mumbai University has taken a strict stance against colleges and students who missed the enrollment deadline for first-year undergraduate and postgraduate admissions. The university's management council has decided to impose significant financial penalties for this failure.
Heavy Penalties for Colleges
The university will fine colleges between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for errors or missing details in enrollment forms. The exact amount depends on the number of affected students. Colleges must also pay double or triple the tuition fees for each defaulting student as an additional penalty.
Graduated Penalty Structure
A recent university circular outlines the penalty structure clearly. If one to five students have errors in their forms, the college pays Rs 2 lakh plus double each student's tuition fees. The penalty increases with more students. For over forty affected students, the fine jumps to Rs 10 lakh plus triple the tuition fees per student.
Consequences for Future Admissions
Colleges facing penalties for over forty students will see their intake capacity reduced by 25% in the next academic year. Failure to comply in subsequent years leads to further reductions: 50% and then 100% cuts in intake capacity.
Student Penalties
Students who missed the deadline must pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each. This applies in all cases where colleges face penalties.
Opposition and University's Stance
Some teachers and students oppose the decision. They argue that the university portal experiences glitches annually, causing delays. However, a university official defended the move, stating that despite multiple extensions from March to August 2025-26, many colleges still failed to comply.
The official explained that colleges often complete the process only when students reach their final year, leaving admissions provisional until then. The university hopes these penalties will deter such delays. Pending admissions will only be confirmed after colleges deposit the penalty amounts.
