Kerala: Ordinance promulgated to control self financing medical colleges

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government promulgated ordinance was given the governor’s assent in order to draw a line of control over private self financing medical colleges in the state. The ordinance gives more power to the Admission Supervisory and Fee Regulatory Committee

CM Pinarayi Vijayan told the media that the ordinance had been promulgated keeping in view the Supreme Court verdict that upheld NEET rank mandatory for admissions to the MBBS and BDS courses in all medical colleges in the country. An all party meeting and talks with the managements had pointed out the need for a fresh legislation in view of the new norms and practices following the Supreme Court verdict.

The Kerala Medical Education Bill 2017 has been promulgated as an ordinance. A retired judge will be nominated as the Chairman of the Admission Supervisory and Fee Regulatory Committee to be set up in accordance with the ordinance provisions. The Committee will be constituted of the Government and Medical Council of India representatives.

The fee to be fixed by the panel will be as per the SC guidelines. The committee will be the signing authority for all agreements related to admissions and fee. As the Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee is already in existence , the same group of members will be reconstituted.

Fee fixed once is to remain valid for the entire year. The college managements are entitled to collect a one year fee only, any excess fee collected is meant to come under capitation fee reports TOI.