MAHARASHTRA UNAIDED PRIVATE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (REGULATION OF ADMISSIONS TO THE FULL TIME PROFESSIONAL DEGREE TECHNICAL COURSES) RULES, 2018

PREAMBLE

In Exercise of the Powers Conferred by Section 23 of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015 (Mah. XXVIII of 2015), the Government of Maharashtra hereby makes the following rules to regulate the admissions to the First Year of Full Time Professional Degree Technical Courses, namely:-

Rule - 1. Short title and Commencement.-

(1)     These rules may be called the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions to the Full Time Professional Degree Technical Courses) Rules, 2018.

(2)     They shall come into force with effect from 1st June 2018.

Rule - 2. Definitions.-

(1)     In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a)      "Act" means the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015 (Mah. XXVIII of 2015);

(b)      "Agriculture University" means university established under section 3 with sub section (1) of the Maharashtra Agricultural Universities (Krishi Vidyapeeths) Act, 1983 (Mah. XLI of 1983);

(c)      "Application Form" means prescribed Form filled up online by the candidate for admission;

(d)      "CAP Seats" means the seats filled in through the centralized admission process carried out by the Competent Authority;

(e)      "Courses" means the full time Professional Degree Technical Courses in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Agriculture Engineering, Food Technology, Biotechnology and Community Science;

(f)       "College Admission Reporting Centre" means a centre where the candidate shall report for confirmation of admission by verification of document and payment of fees;

(g)      "Department" means the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department of Government of Maharashtra;

(h)     "Eligible Candidates" means the candidates who are eligible for different professional courses as notified by the Government from time to time, under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Act;

(i)       "Facilitation Centre" means a Centre where the facilities like sale of application Kits, filling online Forms, verification of documents and grievances, etc. are provided;

(j)       "HSC" means the Higher Secondary School Certificate (Standard XII Science) examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education or its equivalent certificate awarded by a recognized Board;

(k)      "Institutional Quota" means seats available for admission to the Eligible Candidates at Institution level as declared by the Government or appropriate authority, from time to time;

(l)       "Merit" means the order of merit declared by the Competent Authority in respect of various classes or category of candidates;

(m)    "MCAER" means the Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education And Research established under section 12 of the Maharashtra Agricultural Universities (Krishi Vidyapeeths) Act, 1983(Mah. XLI of 1983);

(n)     "Minority Quota" means seats earmarked for the Minority Community students from within the State of Maharashtra, belonging to the Minority Community Institutions belongs;

(o)      "Qualifying Examination" means examinations on the basis of which a candidate becomes eligible for admission or its equivalent examinations;

(p)      "SSC" means the Secondary School Certificate (Standard X) examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Education or its equivalent certificate awarded by a recognized Board;

(q)      "Admission Process Centre" means the spot admission process of particular colleges will be conducted in government/aided colleges which are approved by Concern University;

(r)      "Spot Round Admission" means after the planed online admission round are done; the vacant seats are filled through merit list candidates as per rules. Such merit list is prepared by the candidates who are physically present in respective spot admission process center. This admission process shall be conducted by considering eligibility, reservation and merit of candidate and not considering the preferences given by them;

(s)      "Online Admission Allotment Round" means the process of allotment of admission to candidate under CAP on the basis of candidate merit, reservation and preference (Option);

(t)       "Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)" means a candidate or a person registered as an Overseas Citizen of India as declared by the Central Government under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (CST of 1955) and includes Persons of Indian Origin (PIO).

Explanation: For the purposes of this clause, all the existing Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders registered under notification of the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs No. F. No. 26011/04/98-F.I., dated 19th August 2002 and shall now be deemed to be Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders by virtue of Notification of Government of India, Ministry of Home Affair, No. 25024/9/2014-F.I., dated 9th January 2015.

(2)     Words and expressions used but not defined in these rules shall have the same meanings respectively assigned to them in the Act.

Rule - 3. Invitations of Application.-

(1)     The Competent Authority shall invite Online Applications from Candidate for seeking admissions to the courses for which State CET or alternative entrance exams is required for the academic year from the eligible candidates participating in CET and/or CAP.

(2)     The Competent Authority shall invite online application in the prescribed form, from the eligible candidates for participating in Centralized Admission Process (CAP) for seeking admission to the undergraduate technical courses, which are exempted from CET as per provisions of the Act.

(3)     The competent authority shall also invite online application from the eligible candidates for participating in the Centralized Admission Process (CAP) for the technical Courses for which the entrance test is conducted by the appropriate authority under any Central Act and shall be applicable, for seeking admission to such professional courses in the academic year, as per the provisions of the Central Act, rules and regulations made there under.

(4)     The procedure for the Candidate seeking admissions to the Professional courses for the seats available is as follows ?

(a)      The candidature Noted under Rule 7 (1), 7(2) and 7 (3) of these rules, Candidates shall apply to the Competent Authority for admission through Centralized Admission Process (CAP),

(b)      The candidature Noted under Rule 7(4) of these rules, candidate shall initially apply to the Competent Authority for verification of documents and then to respective institute, to enable the institutions to give admissions to such eligible applicants on the basis of Inter-Se-Merit, as specified in Rule 12.

(5)     The Candidate should submit, alongwith the applications, the requisite certificates, as applicable in the necessary Proforma issued by the concerned competent authority.

Rule - 4. Declaration of Medium, Pattern, Syllabus, Schedule, etc. of CET and CAP.-

(1)     The Competent Authority shall, in relation to Common Entrance Test ( CET), declare,--

(a)      Medium of CET;

(b)      Pattern of CET;

(c)      Mode of CET;

(d)      Schedule of CET;

(e)      Issue of Hall Ticket;

(f)       Result of CET;

(g)      Schedule of CAP, etc.

(2)     The Competent Authority shall also declare the syllabus relating to CET in consultation with the Director (General) of MCAER.

(3)     The Director (General) of MCAER shall publish the "Information Brochure".

Rule - 5. Candidature Type.-

(1)     Maharashtra State candidature.-

The candidates who possess the Domicile Certificate of Maharashtra. If doesn't have domicile, the candidates with Maharashtra State as their birth place in Maharashtra mentioned on their College/School Leaving Certificates or Birth Certificate issued by competent authority of Maharashtra and passing the HSC (Science) examination.

(2)     Agriculture University Candidature.-

The candidates who possess the Domicile Certificate of Maharashtra. If doesn't have domicile, the candidates with Maharashtra State as their birth place in Maharashtra mentioned on their College/School Leaving Certificates or Birth Certificate issued by competent authority of Maharashtra State and those who have passed the Higher Secondary School Certificate examination conducted in the respective jurisdiction of the Agricultural University of Maharashtra.

(3)     Other State Candidature-

The candidates who possess the Indian Nationality and Domicile Certificate from some other State of this country other than Maharashtra/Residential Certificate/Residential and Birth Certificate.

(4)     All India Candidature-

The Candidate having Indian nationality are eligible under this category.

(5)     Minority Candidature-

The Maharashtra domiciled Candidates belonging to a particular linguistic or religious minority community from within the State and as notified by the Government are eligible under this category.

(6)     NRI Candidature-

The Candidates who fulfills the condition as defined in clause (t) of section 2 of the Act are eligible under this category.

Rule - 6. Sanctioned Intake and Supernumerary Seats for Various Degree Courses.-

(1)     The Sanctioned Intake for First Year Degree Courses shall be as per the approval given by the authority which is competent for giving approval to respective courses and affiliation given by the Agriculture Universities.

(2)     The Supernumerary seats shall be available to the private educational institutions as approved by the appropriate authority, from time to time.

Rule - 7. Allocation of seats.-

(1)     Maharashtra State candidature Seats (M Quota) -

The Candidates having Maharashtra State Candidature as specified in rule 5(1) of these rules, shall be eligible for these seats. These seats are specified in Schedule-I.

(2)     Agricultural University Candidature Seats (Agriculture University Quota)-

The Candidates having Maharashtra State Candidature as specified in rule 5(2) of these rules, shall be eligible for these seats. These seats are specified in Schedule-I.

(3)     Minority Candidature Seats-

The Candidates having Maharashtra State Candidature as specified in rule 5(5) of these rules, shall be eligible for these seats. These seats are specified in Schedule-I.

(4)     Institutional Quota Seats-

The candidates having Candidature mentioned in rules 5(1), 5(2), 5(3), 5(4), 5(6) and 5(7) of these rules shall be eligible for these seats. These seats are specified in Schedule-I.

Rule - 8. Preparation of Merit List.-

(1)     Assignment of merit number-

All the eligible Candidates who have submitted Application Form on or before the last date specified for the submission of Application Form for Admission through CAP shall be assigned a merit number. The merit list shall be prepared on the basis of marks obtained at qualifying examination, or any other criterion as specified in sub-rule (3) of this rule.

(2)     Change of Marks due to Verification-

If the marks in the qualifying examination are modified due to verification and the same is duly certified by the concerned Competent Authority or respective HSC or SSC Board, the same shall be reported to the Competent Authority for admission through CAP or its designated representatives immediately. However, the effect of such changes will be taken into consideration only for the subsequent round (s) of admission.

(3)     Assignment of Merit Number for Admission in Various Colleges-

The candidates having a minimum age of 16 years up to the last date of submission of admission form and the candidates securing minimum 50% marks for Open category and 40% marks for reserved candidates (SC/ST/VJ (a)/NT (b)/NT(c)/NT (d)/OBC/SBC) in 12th std (science). The merit number of such candidates for various courses shall be decided by considering 70 Percent marks obtained in CET (MH-CET/JEE/NEET/AIEEA-UG) and 30 Percent marks of total percentage at qualifying examination/(XII Std, Science) and the other weightages shall be as per the existing provisions/rules of MCAER, Pune:

Provided that, in case of tie, the relative merit of Candidates shall be resolved in the following order of preference and the methodology as specified below-

(a)      Higher percentage of marks in the Degree CET,

(b)      Higher percentage of aggregates marks in HSC/(XII Std, Science),

(c)      Lesser number of attempts to pass in HSC/(XII Std, Science),

(d)      Higher marks in the compulsory subject from PCM/PCB group in HSC/(XII Std, Science),

(e)      Higher percentage of aggregates marks in SSC,

(f)       The candidate elder in age,

(g)      The online Application Form Submitted First.

Rule - 9. Centralized Admission Process (CAP).-

(1)     The Unaided Private Professional Educational Institution shall admit Candidates through the Centralized Admission Process as referred in subsection (3) of section 3 of the Act. The stages of CAP shall be as stated below.

(a)      Display or Publishing of Information Brochure by the Competent Authority;

(b)      Filling Online Application and Option Form by Candidates for participation in the Centralized Admission Process. Candidates may fill in maximum choices of colleges and courses in decreasing order of their preference as specified by Competent Authority. After confirming the online application form such application form considered for CAP round. No any changes will be done in option form.

(c)      Document Verification at Facilitation Center by the Candidate in person.

(d)      Display or Publishing of Provisional Merit Lists, submission of grievances, if any, and display or publishing of Final Merit Lists.

(e)      Display of available Category wise Seats (Seat Matrix) for CAP Rounds.

(f)       As per Schedule display of Provisional Allotment of CAP Round indicating allotted college.

(4)     2. During the CAP, before accepting the allotted seat a candidate can opt to 'Freeze', 'Float' or refuse the allotted seat option and do the procedure as below:

(a)      Freeze-

Candidates accept the offered seat and they do not want to participate in any further rounds of seat allocation. Such Candidates will not be considered in subsequent rounds of admission.

(b)      Float-

Candidates accept the offered seat and indicate that, if admission to an academic program of higher preference in any Institution is offered, they will accept it. Else, they will continue with the currently accepted academic program. Such Candidates will be considered in subsequent rounds of admission. Float option shall not be available for the seats allotted in Round III means, the Float option will be available for candidates who has been allotted seat but not allotted with first option through first allotment round only.

(c)      For Candidates who choose the Float option, and secure a seat of his choice of higher preference, then it would automatically result in the forfeiture of the seat accepted by the Candidate in the earlier round.

(d)      Float options will not be available to a Candidate who is offered admission as per First choice.

(e)      Seat acceptance fee Rs. 1000 or fees decided by competent authority shall be deposit through online process. It is compulsory for the candidates who get admission as per their first choice or through the option Freeze or Float. The said fees will be non-refundable.

(f)       Other than Candidate who have not been allotted the first choice or not interested in the option Freeze or Float, such candidates shall refuse the allotted admission. The said candidates eligible for next round of admissions and they are considered for other choices than refuse choice. (Eligible only for admission allotted candidate)

(g)      Candidate who have been allotted the seats and shall not be taken action as per clause (e) or (f) such candidates should not be eligible for next round of online admissions.

(h)     Before accepting the procedure of clause (e) the candidates shall be report in allotted college with all original documents. The admission of such candidate will be confirmed by collage authorities only after checking and verifying the original documents in which basis the admission is given and take entry in website. After completing this, the candidate shall take action as per clause (e) .Same way the concern college shall check and verify the documents which are mention in their online form. If no, the college take entry online and modified the information in application form.

(i)       If the required documents are incomplete, at that time respective college will reject such admission and mention the ground for rejection of admission on website. The said candidate admission will be reject. By considering the modified information and modified merit list, said candidates shall be considered in next admission process.

(j)       After completion of process as per clause (h) and (i), the concern college return the original documents of candidates and receive the Xerox copies of such documents.

(k)      Reporting and confirming of admission in concern colleges personally - After final online CAP round, the candidates shall report to the institutions allotted and submit the original documents and pay education fees. The concern college gives the authentic receipt and confirms his/her admission.

Rule - 10. CAP allotment stage and process of allotment.-

(1)     Allotment of Seat/benefits of reservation on top priority and process of conversion of vacant seats under CAP shall be implemented as per the Government Resolution, Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Science and Fisheries No. MKV 2010/F.N 155/7-A, Dated. 20/10/2011 Appendix 1 and Appendix -2.

(2)     Minority Quota Seats -

The stages of computerized allotment are as follows-

Stage I- The seats under minority quota in the minority institution linguistic or religious shall be allotted to the respective minority candidates.

Stage II- If the seats remain vacant, they shall be allotted to the Maharashtra state candidature Candidates.

Rule - 11. General Provisions.-

(a)      Allotment in CAP Rounds of M Quota, U Quota seats will be carried out as per inter-se-merit of candidates having Maharashtra state candidature, university candidature, available seats and option filled by them.

(b)      There shall not be any reservation under different categories in an Un-aided Professional Educational Institution, for allocation of seats stated in rule 7(3) and 7(4) of these rules;

(c)      All reserved Category Candidates (including SBC in their original Category) shall be considered for allotment in all stages.

(d)      The allotment list displayed on website will show the provisional allotment offered to the Candidates. No personal communication or allotment letters in this regard shall be issued to the Candidates.

(e)      Allotted Seat will be cancelled if, at any time, any of the document or certificate is found to be invalid or fraudulent and/or the Candidate does not meet the eligibility norms.

(f)       The seat acceptance fee paid by the candidate shall be forfeited if the candidates fail to report to the institute after reporting to the ARC.

Rule - 12. (1) Admissions in Institutional Quota.-

(1)     The Director or Principal of the Institute shall carry out the admissions for these seats in the following manner.-

(a)      Admissions shall be made in a transparent manner and strictly as per the Inter-Se-Merit of the Candidate who have applied to Competent Authority for verification of documents and then to the institution.

(b)      Information brochure or prospectus of the Institution which specifies rules of admission should be published well before the commencement of the process of admission. All the information in the brochure should also be displayed on the Institution's website.

(c)      Institution shall invite applications by notifying schedule of admission and the number of seats to be filled by institution, by advertisement on the website of the institutions and also on the website of the Competent Authority by paying charges as decided by the Competent Authority.

(d)      Aspiring Candidates fulfilling the eligibility criteria as notified by the Government and specified by the appropriate authority, from time to time, shall apply to the Principal of Director of the respective institution for admission at the Institution level as provided in rule 3(4) (b) and shall be filled on the basis of Inter-Se-Merit prepared by following the procedure specified in rule 8(3) of these rules.

(e)      The institution shall display the Inter-Se-Merit lists of the Candidates to be filled in at the institution level, in the Institutional Quota and merit list of application form receives as per 12(1)(d) shall publish on the notice board and website of the institution.

(f)       Non-minority Institutions intending to surrender the Institutional Quota (in part or full) of specified colleges to the CAP shall communicate competent authority before last date of online submission of admission form and the same shall be allotted as per the rules of CAP.

(g)      All the information regarding Admission and cancellations shall be updated immediately through online system.

(2)     Admission on remained vacant seat, after completion of planed CAP round,--

(a)      Benefits of reservation on top priority and process of conversion of vacant seats under CAP shall be carried out as per rule 10(1) of these rules.

(b)      The candidate admitted in colleges through Spot admission round, such colleges shall check the original document and confirm the admission of concern student.

(c)      After confirmation of original documents, the college accepts the original document, Seat Acceptance fees (Rs. 1000 or as decided by competent authority) and required education fees. The college gives the receipt to concern candidate and confirm their admission.

(d)      The college will deposit the seat acceptance fees collected from student to the competent authority. The said fees will be non-refundable.

Rule - 13. Approval of Merit List and the Admitted Candidates List.-

(1)     After completion of Admission process every Unaided Private Professional Educational Institution shall submit the Admission approval proposal to the Director General, Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research, Pune and the Admission Regulating Authority.

(2)     The Admission-Approval proposal shall include the list of all Candidates admitted which shall have the Quota, Candidature Type, Reservation, Qualification Marks etc., as well as, the required documents of the Candidates admitted at institution level.

(3)     If a minority institution fails to admit minimum fifty-one percent of its Sanctioned Intake from the Persons belonging to the concerned minority, for a period of three consecutive years the Competent Authority shall inform the Department accordingly. The Department shall forward such cases along with observations to the Minorities Development Department as per provisions of sub-section (2) of section 6 of the Act.

Rule - 14. Refund of Fees after cancellation of admission by Institutions.-

(a)      The Candidate shall apply online for cancellation and submit duly signed copy of system generated application for cancellation of admission to the institution.

(b)      After receiving duly signed admission cancellation request letter from the candidate as per schedule published by the Competent Authority, the institution shall cancel the admission immediately and generate online acknowledgement of cancellation of admission through institution login and issue a signed copy to the candidate.

(c)      The fees will be refunded to the candidate, if candidate cancels his admission on or before last date of admission (Cutoff date). However, Seat acceptance fees will be non-refundable.

(d)      If the Admission is cancelled after the cut-off date of the admission, declared by the Competent Authority, the educational and hostel fees as per semester wise shall be recovered from concern student as per the date the registration of admission was done to till the month the admission was cancelled on per month basis.

(e)      If the candidates submit their original documents like certificate of graduates or any other in their allotted colleges and he/she has desired to cancelled the such admission or not interested to take facility of allotted college at that time the institutes does not show any oppose to return the original documents or should not be forced to pay the any extra fees.