BARTI, SARTHI, Mahajyoti, and ART Institutions to Follow Uniform Policy and Process – Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Mumbai : Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced in the Legislative Council that BARTI, SARTHI, Mahajyoti, and ART institutions will adopt a uniform and streamlined system in their operations. Students will be admitted to various courses based on merit, and a common policy will be implemented regarding student intake, general scholarships, overseas scholarships, and admission procedures across these institutions.

Responding to a question by Legislative Council members Sanjay Khodke and Abhijit Wanjarri regarding SARTHI’s disbursement of housing allowance and contingency funds, Pawar—who also holds the Finance and Planning portfolios—highlighted that between 2018 and 2025, around 3 lakh students were supported through scholarships and educational benefits under SARTHI across 83 courses. However, only 3,000 students—just 1%—opted for PhD programmes, for which a massive ₹280 crore was spent. This translates to an expenditure of nearly ₹30 lakh per student, which Pawar emphasized as a matter of serious concern.

He stated that moving forward, students will only be admitted into courses that ensure employability.

To bring consistency across these institutions—BARTI, SARTHI, Mahajyoti, and ART—a committee headed by the Chief Secretary was formed to decide on student numbers, admission procedures, and scholarship distribution, while also recommending ways to enhance quality. The committee has now submitted its report, and a final decision on its recommendations will be made soon, Pawar concluded.