Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

Row over Pushpagiri medical college fee

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, DEC. 14. The non-remittance of the annual tuition fee of Rs 1.13 lakhs by 19 second batch MBBS students at the Pushpagiri Medical College (PMC) in Thiruvalla and the management decision to take disciplinary action against them has kicked up yet another controversy in the State's self-financing medical education sector.

The Assistant Administrator of the Pushpagiri Medical Society that runs the PMC, Varghese Vallikkattu, told The Hindu that the college management had given enough time for the students to remit their tuition fee as prescribed by the Thomas Commission.

Barred from classes

According to Fr. Vallikattu, the students were attending classes till last Friday and the management has decided not to permit them to attend classes from Monday till they remit the tuition fee.

``It is reliably learnt that certain student union leaders from various other medical colleges in the State have visited the PMC recently to `advise' the students to remit only the fee prevailing at the Government colleges as they were being admitted from the merit list prepared by the Entrance Commissioner,'' alleges Fr. Vallikkattu.

He said that a group of PMC students have even moved the High Court, allegedly at the instance of the union leaders, against the management. He alleged that the students have never discussed the matter with the management before they moved the Court against it. The Court too had directed them to remit the fee as prescribed by the Thomas Committee, he added.

Fr. Vallikkattu alleged that the issue was politically motivated and the college management would initiate disciplinary action against those students who have failed to remit the tuition fee even after the Court direction.

He said that the management has already moved the High Court for contempt procedures against the students who have not yet remitted the tuition fees. Fr. Vallikkattu said that the PMS would think of even dismissing those students who have failed to remit their tuition fee, despite repeated requests for the same.

`Unethical practice'

Meanwhile, a group of aggrieved students who wished to protect their identity told The Hindu that the management stand was `grossly unethical.'

They alleged that the college management had sought an annual fee of Rs. 1.5 lakhs from them besides another Rs. 50,000 towards mess and hostel fee.

They alleged that the Government is yet to fix the fee structure, leaving the students at the receiving end of the managements. Fr Vallikkattu said that there is no question of the college management yielding to `such politically-motivated bargaining tactics' of a group of students.

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