Kerala: Govt, Medical Colleges reach agreement regarding fee, seat distribution

Thiruvanthapuram: Waters have settled on the issue of medical seats and fee in private self financing medical colleges. The state government has reached an agreement regarding fee and seat distribution with these medical institutions. A meeting has been held between the Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, and private self financing college managements, in the presence of the Health Minister, KK Shylaja; marking an end to the stalemate over the issue of medical seat distribution. Interests of the backward and financially weaker sections has been looked after by the agreement reached at this meeting.

The agreement accords 20% of the 50% merit seats to students from financially weaker sections. The annual fee fixed for the weaker sections being Rs. 25,000 annually. The remaining 30% in the merit category, have been fixed for an annual fee of Rs. 2.5 lakh.

Last year, these 30% of the meritorious were paying Rs. 1.85 lac each for medical seats. The college management associations have been raising a demand for this sum to be raised to Rs. 4.4 lac in the remaining 30% category of students.

On the other hand, a fee of Rs. 11 lac has been fixed for the 35% of management quota seats, and Rs. 15 lac for the remaining 15 % of NRI seats. Last year, the management quota seats went for an annual intake of Rs. 8.5 lac and the NRI for Rs. 12.5 lac.

In the dental category, the government has once again reached an understanding with dental managements. In the 50% meritorious cadre, two categories of fee structure have been demarcated. In the 20% earmarked for the financially poorer sections, the first six% of students have to pay a fee of Rs 23,000 annually. The remaining 14% are to pay a sum of Rs 44,000, as annual fee.

Amongst the 30% remaining, a fees of Rs. 2,10 lac has been agreed upon. The management category of 35% are to pay Rs 5 lakh annually; while Rs 6 lac per annum is to be paid by those in the 15% category.