Student federations have raised objections to the spotlight on Maharashtra’s upcoming ‘Edu-City’ plans, saying it favours private higher education and sidelines students who can’t afford such programmes.

The Maharashtra budget, presented by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, proposes six international universities in Navi Mumbai, with admissions starting this year. Vaibhav Chopkar, law student and State Head of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), said, “Many Marathi schools risk closure, and thousands face privatisation under the ‘adopted school’ scheme.