Uttarakhand: 3 private Ayurveda Colleges to now charge increased fees for BAMS course

Dehradun: The students attached to three private Ayurveda colleges in the state will now have to pay increased fees for BAMS course as the appellate authority has shown a green flag to Qwadra Institute of Ayurved and Hospital; Doon Institute of Medical Sciences Sahaspur; Devbhoomi Medical College of Ayurveda and Hospital to charge a hiked fee.

The move is likely to spark controversy since the recent fee hike permission is in contradiction to the orders passed by the Uttarakhand High Court that had quashed the state government's order and directed to refund excess fee charged from the students.

The fees hike issue has been ongoing since 2015, following a Government Order (GO) for an increase in fees of the private Ayurveda Colleges of Uttarakhand. However, the order was in gross violation of all norms as it was issued sans necessary recommendation of the fee fixation committee and was implemented from back date.

The GO was anyway revoked in 2018 after the intervention of High Court. Displeased, the private medical colleges challenged the court's order. However, the plea was dismissed and a bench of judges upheld the earlier decision.

Also Read: High Court Stay On Arbitrary Increase In BAMS Fees In Private Medical Colleges

As per the court's order, the state government directed to refund the fee but the administrators of these colleges are not following the order.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the state government and the Ayurvedic University on November 2, 2018, and November 17, 2018, respectively had released directions to the private colleges to adhere to the court order. However, the private colleges continued to compel the students to pay the extra fees. Resultantly, a protest was staged by the students stating that they haven't received the refund of additional fees collected from them, even after the Uttarakhand High court's directive on the same.

Also Read: Uttarakhand Ayurveda Students Hold Protest Demanding Refund Of Extra Fees

Thereafter, on March 22, 2019, and April 23, 2019, as well the private colleges were asked by the state government to refund the fee. On September 23, 2019, the HC issued orders to 13 private colleges on a contempt petition.

On January 31, an order by the appellate authority on fees has allowed three private colleges to charge increased fees from the students. These three colleges namely -Qwadra Institute of Ayurved and Hospital, Roorkee, Haridwar will now charge an enhanced fee of Rs 2.15 Lakh per annum from the years 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. Similarly in another order, the authority concluded that the Doon Institute of Medical Sciences Sahaspur can charge fees of Rs 2.15 lakh per year for the year 2017-18. Devbhoomi Medical College of Ayurveda and Hospital, Manduwala, Chakrata road, Dehradun has been issued likewise directions.

Commenting on the same, the patron of Private Medical Universities Joint Forum of parents, Ravindra Jugran told The Pioneer that the order of HC is binding on all the parties and the order of the appellate authority allowing three colleges to charge increased fees retrospectively cannot be implemented.