Fee norms dissuade pvt medical colleges from admitting students in PG courses

Mumbaii: The existing fee deadlock between the private college managements and the Fee regulatory Authority ( FRA) is likely to see all of them lie vacant this academic year.

According to Pravin Shingare, Director, Medical Education and Research out of the 17 private medical colleges in Maharashtra, 12 have refused to admit students to PG courses. 5 colleges have admitted students, revealed Shingare while speaking to Indian Express. Private medical colleges are going against the fee authorities allocating 3 times for management quota and 5 times for the NRI quota in comparison to the merit category fee have demanded that the management quota also is allowed to charge 5 times like the NRI quota.

“We tried to convince the colleges to admit students to the merit quota as well as the NRI quota and leave the management quota seats until a consensus was reached. However, they have declined,” Shingare informed. 15 percent of the total seat count, contribute to the NRI seat numbers while 35% go the management quota way.

Shingare revealed that the same colleges had gone ahead and admitted students to their Dental courses. “It’s only the medical seats that the colleges are denying admissions to. But there will be no extension of date for confirming admissions,” said the DMER, Head.

Medical colleges on the other hand, maintained that it was a “matter of survival” for them. “The quality of education will suffer if the fee is capped. Colleges are only asking for a fee structure that helps colleges bear the cost of imparting education and also comply with the Medical Council of India norms,” said Kamal Kishor Kadam, President of the Unaided Medical College Association.

“It won’t be possible for the colleges to sustain with the fees stipulated by FRA. Government medical colleges receive financial aid from the government to the tune of Rs 300 crore. The only way we can raise that sum is through fees from students,” said Kadam to the Indian Express.