No first year admissions for 229 colleges in 2025-26

MUMBAI: A day after the University of Mumbai (MU) announced the schedule for first-year degree college admissions, it has debarred 229 colleges from admitting students for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. The colleges have been debarred as they have not completed the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation, or the re-accreditation process, while some of them do not have a College Development Committee (CDC).

In a recent meeting of the Management Council (MC), the apex body of the university, it was decided that a fine of ₹10,000 would be imposed on colleges that have not completed the NAAC accreditation process and do not have CDC. HT reported this on April 9.

Despite notices from the university, 156 colleges failed to complete NAAC accreditation or re-accreditation, and 73 colleges failed to appoint a CDC. The university on Wednesday declared the names of these colleges on its official website. In a statement, it said it had taken action under section 110 (4) and section 97 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act (MPUA), 2016.

Most of the colleges in the list are unaided institutions and are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Under Section 97 of the MPUA, it is mandatory to establish a CDC in every affiliated college, autonomous, authorised college and recognised institution. The committee is tasked with preparing development plans, setting academic calendars and budgets, and addressing issues ranging from the introduction of new courses to campus safety. Similarly, according to Section 110 (4) of the MPUA, it is mandatory for every affiliated college to fulfill the necessary requirements of NAAC accreditation or re-accreditation.

“NAAC assessment, aligned with the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, plays a vital role in ensuring quality in higher education. However, many colleges have yet to undergo NAAC assessment,” according to a senior university official.

Over the last two years, both the state higher and technical education department and the university have been striving to complete the accreditation process. In September 2023, the state government set March 2024 as the deadline for all colleges across Maharashtra to complete the process. To expedite the applications, the government also launched the ‘Paris Sparsh’ scheme.