The Hindu : Karnataka News : St. John's Medical College challenges fee structure, seat matrix for PG courses

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 29, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

St. John's Medical College challenges fee structure, seat matrix for PG courses

Staff Reporter

HIGH COURTROUND-UP

BANGALORE: After the Karnataka Private Medical Colleges Association and the Karnataka Dental Colleges' Association, it is now the turn of St. John's Medical College to challenge before the Karnataka High Court the fee structure and the seat matrix for postgraduate (PG) medical and dental courses.

In its petition, the Catholic Bishop's Conference of India (CBCI), which runs St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore, said St. John's was the only Catholic medical institution in the country. It said St. John's had its own admission and fee structure and it was not a capitation fee based institution.

It said it was a religious minority institution. A case was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Government's interference in the affairs of minority religious institutions. It said the case was still pending and a decision was awaited.

It said on April 15, 2005 the Government issued a notification and modified it on April 20 fixing the fee structure and seat matrix for PG courses.

It challenged the notification saying it was illegal and arbitrary. Moreover, the Supreme Court verdict on minority religious institutions was still awaited and the Government could not fix the fees or seat sharing structure till the court gave its verdict.

It said the parameters for arriving at the seat structure and fee fixation were flawed and illogical. It urged the court to stay the operation of the April 15 and April 20 notifications.

It also urged the court to direct the respondents to refrain, in any way, from interfering with the admission of students made by it to the medical college to the 2005-06 course.

Notice

Justice S. Abdul Nazir on Thursday ordered issue of notices to the Excise Department on a petition by Kamala, a resident of Doddaballapur, and 19 others, all small-time excise contractors. The petitioners were challenging the April 16, 2005 amendment to Rule 4 A of the Karnataka Excise (Lease of Right of Retail Vend of Liquor) 1969. The amendment made it mandatory for excise contractors to give an irrecoverable bank guarantee of Rs. 50 lakhs when they bid for vending liquor in excise auctions. The petitioners said they bid for small taluks such as Bagalkot, Karwar, Honnavar and Bhatkal where the monthly rentals were low. However, the amendment made it mandatory for payment of Rs. 50 lakhs. They said the amendment was illegal and arbitrary and it would bar them from participating in excise auctions. They urged the court to stay the operation of the amendment.

Mr. Justice Nazir refused to pass orders as prayed for, saying that it was not a fit case for grant of interim order.

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