Maharashtra widens fee panel oversight to four more divisions May 6 government resolution

MUMBAI, May 10 — Maharashtra's School Education and Sports Department issued a government resolution on May 6 assigning school-fee proposals and parent complaints from Kolhapur, Nashik, Latur and Amravati to existing Divisional Fee Regulatory Committees (DFRCs) in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar — closing a six-month gap that had left private unaided schools in those four divisions without an active fee oversight panel.

The order matters because every Maharashtra private unaided school is required by law to file its proposed fee structure with a DFRC for the 2026-27 academic session. Schools in Kolhapur, Nashik, Latur and Amravati had been working without a panel to file with — leaving fee proposals in legal limbo and parent complaints with no formal review body. The May 6 order plugs that hole until separate DFRCs are gazetted for the four divisions.

The DFRCs were originally constituted under the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011, and a March 18, 2026 notification had created committees for Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar but left Kolhapur, Nashik, Latur and Amravati on paper. Each DFRC is chaired by a retired High Court judge and includes the regional deputy director of education. "The aim is to maintain uniform implementation of the Fee Regulation Act across Maharashtra until all divisional committees are fully operational," the May 6 government resolution stated. Schools in the four uncovered divisions can now file proposed fee structures with the nearest existing DFRC: Kolhapur and Latur with Pune; Nashik with Mumbai; Amravati with Nagpur. The Fees Regulating Authority has flagged on its mahafra.org portal that complaint registration in the four newly-covered divisions opens immediately.

Maharashtra's move follows a national pattern of state governments tightening fee oversight after parent-led complaints during the post-pandemic admission cycles. Chhattisgarh capped private school fee hikes at eight percent earlier this session — see the 8 percent cap order — and ordered fee structures displayed on every notice board. Delhi's directorate barred schools from collecting fees more than one month in advance.

The school education department said it will continue to gazette fresh DFRCs for Kolhapur, Nashik, Latur and Amravati once retired-judge nominations are confirmed. Schools in those divisions should file fee proposals with the assigned existing committee before the academic session begins; parent complaints can be lodged through the mahafra.org portal.

Source: Free Press Journal, Lokmat Times. Original notice: Fees Regulating Authority, mahafra.org.

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For Maharashtra schools filing fee proposals:

• Student fee module — store the DFRC-approved fee structure and route receipts cleanly per fee head
• Student documents management — keep DFRC submission proofs, parent communications and the panel-approved fee schedule searchable
• Student reports — fee-collection reports principals share with the panel during scrutiny

Background reading on fee regulation:

• Chhattisgarh caps private school fee hikes at 8 percent
• CG private schools must show fees on notice boards
• Delhi DoE bars schools from forcing fees beyond one month

Operational connection:

• Student Transfer Management & TC — fee clearance is one of four configurable gates before a TC issues