Good News For Students: Maharashtra Extends Caste Certificate Deadline And Waives Fees

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announces an extension of the deadline for submitting caste validity certificates by six months from the date of application. This extension aims to provide significant relief to students, especially those from the Maratha community, who are enrolled in various educational institutions for engineering, medical, and other professional courses in the 2024-25 academic year.

The Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2024, passed unanimously by the Maharashtra assembly in a special session on February 20, grants a 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in admissions to state educational institutions and direct service recruitment posts in government and semi-government jobs.

Students benefiting from the SEBC Act have encountered difficulties in obtaining caste validity certificates, prompting them to request an extension. Responding to these demands, CM Shinde has extended the deadline for submitting the certificate to six months after applying for it.

In addition, the state government has approved a fee waiver for higher education courses for students from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), SEBC, and Other Backward Classes (OBC). Previously, such fee waivers were granted only for professional courses.

Now, students pursuing undergraduate and master's degrees in arts, commerce, science, and other fields will also benefit. Educational institutes have been instructed not to charge fees from these students, except for exam fees, which will be reimbursed by the government directly to the students' bank accounts. This move is expected to provide substantial relief to lakhs of students, many of whom may be first-time voters.