CET cell student facilitation centers to be set up in every district: Maha Minister
Mumbai, June 9
Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Dada Patil on Tuesday announced that CET Cell Student Facilitation Centres will be started in every district to provide students with reliable guidance on CET examinations, the Centralised Admission Process, scholarship schemes and admission-related procedures. The centres will help students receive accurate information and support at the district level itself.
A total of 40 CET Student Facilitation Centres will be set up across 36 districts of the state. Mumbai will have three centres, while Pune and Nagpur will each have two centres. Of the 40 centres, work on 26 has been completed, and six are in the final stage. The remaining eight centres will also be made operational soon. The services of these centres will begin from June 10. The decision was taken at today's meeting to review the status of CET Student Facilitation Centres across all districts.
Minister Patil said that students must receive trustworthy information and proper guidance at every stage of the admission process, adding that these centres have been planned so that students, especially from rural and remote areas, do not have to repeatedly travel to major cities for admission-related work. The centres will provide detailed information on the admission process, scholarship schemes and necessary guidance within the student's own district.
According to the minister, the centres will coordinate between educational institutions in the district, examination centres working under the CET Cell and the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test Cell. They will provide technical and other necessary information related to CET Cell subjects and the Centralised Admission Process. The centres will assist students in resolving queries and complaints.
For pending complaints, the centres will obtain information from the concerned offices and officers and support grievance redressal. Students will also receive guidance in selecting suitable courses, degrees, and educational institutions based on their interests, eligibility, and abilities. Information related to CET examinations and CAP rounds, including courses, eligibility criteria, examination pattern, schedule and application process, will be made available to students. The centres will also provide information on various scholarship schemes and their eligibility criteria, the release said.
After the Centralised Admission Process, the centres will assist students with queries regarding admission confirmation. They will also provide career guidance and predictive counselling. Front desk assistance will be available for issues related to CAP, the CET portal, and the examination process, including required documents, examination hall code of conduct, and related matters.
The centres will also provide academic counselling, internships, and employment opportunities. Assistance will be provided for filling application forms, payment of application fees, uploading documents, hall ticket-related issues and CAP or CET form-related guidance.
Technical and payment-related complaints, including payment gateway issues, document, photograph, and signature updates, and documentation errors, will also be handled at these centres. Student queries and complaints will be resolved at the centre level and, wherever required, forwarded for higher-level redressal, said the release.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Sounds good on paper, but let's see the implementation. Will these centres have trained staff who actually know the current rules? Many government-run information centres end up giving outdated or wrong info. Hope they hire qualified people and keep them updated regularly.
Finally, some practical support for students! 🙏 The confusion around CET forms, CAP rounds, and scholarship deadlines is real. My younger cousin missed a scholarship last year because she didn't know the criteria. These centres will be a lifesaver, especially for first-generation college-goers.
Good initiative, but I hope they also focus on digital literacy. Many students still struggle with online forms, payment gateways, and document uploads. If the centre staff can personally help with these technical issues, it will be truly game-changing. Also, please open centres in taluka levels too, not just district headquarters.
I appreciate the intent, but where is the clarity on operational hours? Will these centres be open on weekends? Many students have school/college during weekdays. Also, will there be a toll-free helpline number? Not everyone can physically visit a centre. Hope the government provides multiple channels of support.
As a parent, this gives me relief. My son is preparing for CET and we were worried about the complicated admission process. The career guidance and counselling part is also important—many students don't know which course suits their aptitude. If this centre can genuinely guide students based on their interests and abilities, it will be a blessing! 🙏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.