Kerala: 2 medical colleges agree to lower Fees

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An agreement for lowering of fee for certain section of seats was signed between two medical colleges and the government . The agreement allows 25 seats inclusive of 5 SC/ST candidate seats to cost Rs. 25,000. Another 25 are to cost Rs. 2.5 lakh, while Rs.11 Lakh is to be the cost of another 35% of seats; NRI quota of 15 seats meanwhile are to cost Rs. 15 lakh.

The two colleges to have made this agreement with the government are: MES and Karakkonam Medical College of the CSI.

Fazal Gafoor, the MES representative said the agreement was an extension of the fee pact signed last year. ‘The pact allows some students to study at a lower fee. The fee for the other seats will be higher,” he added.

“If the High Court rules against Monday’s pact we will revert to the earlier agreement with the government. Under this, there will be a uniform fee of ₹5.5 lakh for all seats,” he stated.

Questioned about earlier judicial pronouncements against cross-subsidy of fee, Dr. Gafoor said some states, including Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, had fee agreements that were essentially a cross-subsidy. According to him no judicial opposition against these agreements had surfaced so far.

Krishnadas, President, Kerala Private Medical College Management Association, while speaking to the The Hindu said that the association would be meeting, shortly, to understand the aftermath of the signing of pact regarding lowering of fee by the two colleges with the government.

“Many colleges have gone to court against the fixation of Rs. 5.5 as fee for all seats. A verdict of the court is expected any time now,” he told to the Hindu.