Telangana private medical colleges demand 3 year fee as bank guarantee

Hyderabad: Tension has engulfed the PG medical admissions in Telangana as the self financing medical colleges in the state are demanding upfront bank guarantee towards payment of PG medical fee for all the three years.

According to recent media reports, self-financing medical colleges are asking for a bank guarantee for the 2nd and 3rd year during the first round of counselling, along with the fees of the 1st year from the PG medical candidates, who were allotted seats at self-financing medical colleges via the NEET PG counselling 2019 conducted by Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) recently.

This step by the medical colleges has caused a setback to the PG medical students, who have now come up and arms against this decision with their allotment letters in hand.

As per the regulations, the bank guarantee for 3 years -Rs 7 lakh which is a Fixed Deposit (FD) can be given to the medical college after the counselling process is over. However, it is not the case at present with the private medical colleges in the state.

Medicos, who intend to look at other options in the Round 2 counselling session, alleged that they are being forced to pay fees, submit bank guarantees for second and third years and also pay first year tuition fee of Rs 3.80 lakh for Convener (government) quota seats and Rs 7.90 lakh for management quota in the 1st round of counselling itself.

They further alleged that these institutes are not allowing the 2nd round of counselling to be completed. They are also being insisted to pay a miscellaneous fee of Rs 40,000 and a refundable fee of Rs 90,000, in addition to the bank guarantee. Some have also complained that the medical colleges were demanding medical college campus hostel fee for 1-year in advance even if a student does not want to stay in the hostel.

“Citing MCI rules about compulsory stay in the college premises, the college is charging us another Rs 1.2 lakh per year for hostel accommodation that does not even include drinking water or food,” a medico alleged.

“They are collecting the fee for hostel, transport and caution deposit during the time of admission. Some of the students will get transferred to other medical colleges in the next phase of counselling. But, the submitted fee is never refunded, which is a huge burden on the students,” the PG medical students informed Telangana Today.

The demand of bank guarantee has been termed “illegal” by the PG medical students and Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association (TJUDA), who have been approached by the students to help them resolve this problem as private medical colleges are not coming clear on the rules. The medicos have also called the helpline of the KNRUHS seeking clarification on the bank guarantee issue.

It has been stated that this demand is in strict violation of the 2017 High Court order, which allows students to pay 50 per cent of the admission fee and execute a bond for the balance 50 per cent as an interim measure.

The bank guarantee is mandatory for students since 2003 according to court orders. However, there are clear-cut Court orders prohibiting private medical colleges from demanding bank guarantees. Dr PS Vijayender, Chairman TJUDA said, “Asking for the bank guarantee when the counselling session is in progress is illegal. To confirm the seat, first-year fees can be taken. But demanding the bank guarantee is not right.”

“We want the government to look into these unlawful demands. Students are being told that if they do not give a bank guarantee with the fees, the seat has to be vacated,” Dr Vijayender informed Deccan Chronicle.

When contacted for an explanation on the issue, Dr Bhaskar Rao, President of the private medical colleges association, said, “The bank guarantee is required to be given to the college as per the orders of the court. The students give it promising to complete the entrance course and internship. There is no extra money taken from any of the students.”