The Hindu : National : Medical college fee reduction to be challenged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 13, 2004

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National

Medical college fee reduction to be challenged

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, JUNE 12. The over 50 per cent fee reduction in private medical colleges across Maharashtra as proposed by the Jahagirdar Committee, earlier this month, will be challenged in the Bombay High Court on Monday.

Kamal Kishore Kadam, of the NCP, president of the Association of Management of Unaided Medical and Dental Colleges told The Hindu that a writ petition to be filed in the Court, would seek a stay on the proposed fee structure. There are 14 medical, 16 dental, 32 ayurvedic and 43 homeopathic colleges in the State.

"We are not making any profits, so the reduction is not justified. The new fee structure will amount to closure of many colleges as they cannot be run on fees of Rs. 18,000 per student per year," he said. " We spend Rs. 4.37 lakhs per student per year, as it costs Rs. 23 crores per year, to run a college, and a 500-bed hospital. How can we run colleges on the basis of what the Jahagirdar Committee has suggested?" Mr. Kadam asked.

"We demand an impartial committee to study the facilities in both Government and private colleges and then give a balanced report," he said. "The committee is asking us to run sub-standard colleges," he added.

According to what the committee has proposed, colleges will only be able to earn Rs. five to six crores a year, which is way below what is needed.

On June 1, the Education Fee Committee recommended an annual fee ranging from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 1.54 lakhs as against the existing Rs. 1.5 lakhs to Rs. 3 lakhs. The same fee structure will be applicable to the management quotas fixed in the colleges.The new schedule will be effective from this academic year.

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