Maratha student concessions will be extended across Maharashtra’s technical education system from the academic year 2026–27, bringing eligible students access to educational facilities and fee benefits available to students in the Other Backward Classes category.
Maharashtra Industries, Investment and Services and Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant directed the Directorate of Technical Education to implement the decision. Pramod Naik, Project Director at the Directorate of Technical Education, subsequently issued orders to begin the process.
The decision follows a Government Resolution issued by the General Administration Department on June 5, 2026. The resolution provides for educational concessions and facilities for students from the Maratha community from the 2026–27 academic year.
In a letter issued on September 3, 2026, the Directorate of Technical Education instructed the Joint Directors of its regional offices, the Registrar of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere, and the Registrar of COEP Technological University, Pune, to issue directions to colleges under their jurisdiction. The institutions have also been asked to submit action-taken reports to the Directorate.
The immediate financial effect is visible in the revised fee structure announced by COEP Technological University for 2026–27. Students classified as Socially and Educationally Backward Class, or SEBC, and holding a valid Non-Creamy Layer certificate will qualify for substantial concessions.
For the M Tech programme in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, eligible SEBC students will pay Rs 50,014 at the time of admission, compared with Rs 3,00,040 for students in the Open category. For M Tech and M Planning programmes, the applicable fee for eligible SEBC students will be Rs 25,994, compared with Rs 1,15,890 for Open-category students.
The difference means that eligible students in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning programme will face an admission-time fee reduction of Rs 2,50,026 compared with the Open-category fee. In the M Tech and M Planning programmes cited by the university, the difference is Rs 89,896.
The concession framework will depend on students producing a valid Non-Creamy Layer certificate where required under the revised fee structure. The Directorate’s instructions place responsibility on regional offices and the named universities to communicate the decision to colleges and report implementation.
Samant said the government’s position was that Maratha students should not face financial barriers in pursuing education. “I had directed the concerned department to ensure that they receive all educational concessions available to students from the Other Backward Classes,” he said, adding that the orders would benefit a large number of students across Maharashtra.
The next stage is for the Directorate’s regional offices, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University and COEP Technological University to issue institutional instructions and submit reports on the action taken. The concessions are scheduled to apply from the 2026–27 academic year.
