MUMBAI, Aug. 30 -- For the first time, the State Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) has decided to conduct surprise inspections of professional colleges across Maharashtra from October onwards. The move comes after a surge in complaints from students and parents about colleges overcharging fees and providing false information in their proposals. The FRA regulates the fee structure for more than 4,000 professional colleges in the state, including those offering courses in engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and management. These courses often charge fees that run into several lakhs, and colleges are required to submit detailed proposals with information about their infrastructure, professors, educational facilities, and financial documents to justify their fee structure. However, FRA officials have found that many institutions exaggerate facilities and submit incorrect data about faculty numbers and salaries, leading to ambiguity while making decisions on fees. As there is no mechanism in place for the FRA to verify the claims by colleges in person, the authority relied on documents submitted by the colleges. However, due to repeated student complaints and multiple reports highlighting fee irregularities, the FRA has decided to inspect colleges along with subject experts to verify by matching the proposals against the actual situation on the ground. According to Arjun Chikhale, FRA secretary, inspections will begin in October, starting with institutions named in complaints. "If students feel they are being charged excessive fees, they should approach the FRA so that such colleges will be inspected first," he said. While inspecting technical colleges, the FRA will also seek assistance from the Directorate of Technical Education. Officials believe these surprise visits will help identify discrepancies and control unnecessary fee hikes. Colleges found charging more than the prescribed fees or imposing charges for facilities that do not exist could face strict action. Students have long complained about being overcharged, but due to a lack of proper verifications, the FRA was limited in taking action. The authority has also faced challenges in scrutinising fee proposals because of insufficient subject experts and resources. Previously, fees were fixed purely based on the submitted documents. Now, with physical inspections, the FRA aims to ensure transparency and protect students from unjustified expenses. Kalpesh Yadav, state joint secretary of Yuva Sena, welcomed the initiative, saying it could bring much-needed relief to thousands of students. However, he raised concerns about the lack of experts on the FRA panel to verify the facts. "The FRA approved more than 912 colleges between October 31 and August 15, which we want withdrawn as it is not in accordance with the rules," he said....