Mumbai: Now, e-payment for admission to medical colleges

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Fee payment for medical admissions is set to become easier from the coming academic year. The Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, which conducts admissions to all professional courses across Maharashtra, has decided to start the e-payment option for fees.

The new initiative is expected to end the chaotic practice of running around with Demand Drafts to pay admission fees. Earlier, students along with their parents had to be physically present at the college to confirm admissions to allotted seats against fee payment. Considering that centralised medical admissions are spread across the state, it used to involve a lot of running around for parents from one part of the state to another. The system, which has been added to the software now will be functional from this year. It is also expected to end admission arguments between parents and colleges where candidates would complain of being denied a seat.

Anand Rayte, commissioner, CET Cell, said, "Several candidates would approach us with complaints that the college did not give them admission despite being allotted a seat. Colleges would say that the candidate was not present to submit the DD for fees to confirm admission. If we asked the complaining parent about this, he would show us a DD prepared stating that the college did not accept it till the deadline and then the seat went to someone else. Now, with the E-payment gateway, parents can immediately block the seat after paying the fees and visit the college to verify documents." The traditional DD practice will continue alongside for now for candidates unfamiliar with the technical process.