Maharashtra govt removes 30-year age cap for tribal hostel admission after students' protest

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday removed the 30-year age limit for admission to tribal hostels in the wake of a 13-day agitation by students in Pune, even as state minister Ashok Uike's remarks targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi drew a sharp response from the opposition party.

Uike, who is the state Tribal Development Minister, said that with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' approval, the government has decided to completely cancel the August 14, 2026 government resolution and the consolidated revised rules issued in connection with it.

The 30-year age limit for admission to hostels run by the Tribal Development Department has consequently been scrapped. The announcement came as the agitation by tribal students at Manjari in Pune entered its 13th day.

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Students protest over admission rules, hostel facilities

The protest has been over several demands concerning hostel facilities, admission rules and other issues, and tensions had risen after the health of one of the protesters deteriorated. Uike made the announcement after a meeting at his residence 'Lohgad' to review facilities provided to students in government tribal hostels, the admission process and various aspects of hostel management.

The meeting was attended by minister Narhari Zirwal, tribal MPs and MLAs, Tribal Development Department secretary Vijay Waghmare, Tribal Development Commissioner Leena Bansod and Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI) Commissioner Nilesh Sagar, among others.

The minister said the decision to withdraw the August 14 resolution and revised rules was taken in the interest of students and after considering suggestions and objections received from elected representatives.

He directed officials to formulate improved procedures covering hostel admissions, facilities, administrative functioning, supervision and inspections to ensure that students receive quality amenities and that the hostel system functions in a coordinated manner.

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Rahul Gandhi met tribal students amid protest

Uike also directed that steps be taken to ensure students do not face inconvenience and are provided an environment conducive to their education. He said difficulties in hostel administration should be addressed and facilities made more effective.

The announcement came amid a political exchange between Uike and Gandhi over the condition of tribal students and the functioning of tribal hostels in Maharashtra.

In remarks on Tuesday morning, Uike took a dig at Gandhi over his recent social media post raising the concerns of a tribal student whom he had met during the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Pune last week. Uike said Gandhi had raised questions about the Maharashtra government without first looking at the situation on the ground.

He claimed that tribal students in Nagpur and Chandrapur had withdrawn their hunger strike on the day Gandhi visited Maharashtra for what he described as a "paid PR programme". He suggested that Congress leaders in the state might not have provided Gandhi with complete information.

Uike also defended the decision to introduce the 30-year hostel admission limit, saying it had been done in response to students' demands. The minister further defended the requirement of a fitness certificate for students returning after a month's leave, saying it was sought for their health. He rejected allegations of pregnancy testing, saying no such test was conducted.

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'Snakebites incidents at tribal hostels'

Uike also referred to complaints concerning incidents such as snakebites and inadequate facilities at some institutions, claiming that the establishments in question included ashram schools associated with former Congress MP Marotrao Kowase and former education minister Vasant Purke.

He said the Mahayuti government was capable of providing necessary facilities to students irrespective of their social background and that corrective measures, including cleanliness-related work, would continue. He also advised Gandhi to increase his political visits to Jharkhand, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.

The Maharashtra Congress responded on Tuesday evening, questioning Uike's handling of the tribal students' agitation and accusing him of resorting to political attacks instead of addressing their concerns.

The party claimed that when protesting students approached Uike with their problems, he had told them that the matter was not in his hands and rested with the chief minister. It said this response showed who was actually running the Tribal Development Department.

The Congress said its legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and MLAs Sanjay Meshram and Ramdas Masram had met the protesting students from August 17 and raised their issues with the minister, but alleged that he had failed to act on them.

The party said Gandhi had subsequently raised the issue of a tribal hostel student, Nisha, during the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme and in a letter addressed to the CM. The Congress alleged that Uike's response was in the language of "trollers", and accused him of attacking Gandhi instead of providing a policy response to the problems faced by tribal students.

It said tribal society was self-respecting and had consistently fought for its rights and entitlements. It also accused Uike of compromising his self-respect before the BJP and RSS, and said tribal students and members of the community were capable of recognising such conduct.

The Congress said Uike should remain conscious of his responsibilities as a minister. It welcomed the decision to fulfil one of the students' demands but insisted that all their demands should be accepted.