A Dalit MBBS aspirant alleges Sindhudurg Shikshan Prasarak Mandal (SSPM) Medical College in Sindhudurg confined him and forced a retraction after he complained of excessive fees. The college, run by BJP leader Narayan Rane, allegedly demanded Rs 9.2 lakh for a state quota seat during NEET counselling, exceeding the prescribed amount.
The student, from Gadchiroli district, was allotted a seat in the third round of NEET counselling. He claims college authorities asked him to pay significantly more than the Rs 50,000 refundable caution money listed for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, whose tuition fees are state-borne.
Allegations of Fee Extortion and Coercion
The aspirant reported the fee demand to the state Common Entrance Test Cell (Maha CET Cell), which conducts NEET UG counselling. He alleges the college then detained him, seized his mobile phone, and compelled him to write a letter disclaiming any grievance against the institute. This forced retraction, he states, occurred between 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM on Tuesday.
The letter, shared by the CET Cell, stated: “I am not taking admission at this college due to a personal problem… I don’t have any complaint against SSPM Medical College, Sindhudurg.” The student later sent multiple emails refuting this statement and reiterating his claims, but the CET Cell initially expressed confusion over the conflicting communications.
The college allegedly stated the extra Rs 9.2 lakh was for “hostel and mess” charges, without providing detailed documents. When the student tried to opt out of these services, the college reportedly insisted they were mandatory. Due to his failure to confirm the third-round spot under these conditions, the candidate is now out of contention for MBBS admissions this year.
Parents of two other candidates also reported similar experiences. A girl from the Nomadic Tribe (NT)-D category and another from the Maratha (SEBC) group secured their allotted seats only after agreeing to the college’s fee demands.
College Denies All Claims
SSPM Medical College has refuted all allegations. Vandana Gaopande, the institute’s dean, stated that the college levies only fees decided by the state Fee Regulating Authority (FRA). She affirmed that hostel and mess services are optional and denied that the administration forced any student to write emails.
History of Complaints
SSPM Medical College has faced similar accusations for at least the last three admission cycles. Careers360 reported previous incidents where the state Admission Regulating Authority (ARA) directed the institute to admit candidates it had initially refused.
In one instance, a candidate was admitted after intervention from the Bombay High Court , which ordered the college to create a supernumerary seat. Despite these past complaints, authorities cleared the college of wrongdoing in two preceding years. Narayan Rane previously justified higher fees by citing high operational costs in rural areas and state government dues for fee reimbursements to disadvantaged students.
CET Cell Response and Call for Action
After the student’s initial complaint and subsequent retraction, the CET Cell official stated, “The candidate has again mailed that he wants to withdraw his complaint. We are trying to contact him but he is not answering the call.” The official added, “He should make up his mind. We will act accordingly.” The student later sent an email reiterating his claims against the college. The CET Cell has not yet responded to this latest development.
Pune-based activist Tejas Ahire, assisting the student, suggested the CET Cell establish helpdesks at colleges. This would ensure timely resolution of complaints and provide students easier access to justice.