NEET Ordinance: Andhra Pradesh Private Medical Colleges approaches state health minister

Andhra Pradesh: After the Neet ordinance has been put in to perspective, the Andhra Pradesh Private Medical Colleges Managements Association have been reported to have rushed to the state health minister Kamineni Srinivas. Their motive is clear. They are meeting the heath minister’s representatives to remove certain hindrance (s), likely to affect the admissions to the many private medical colleges in the state.

Two key issues on which they seek attention of the state health ministry on priority are-

1. They likely don’t want Neet to hamper admission under management quota in private medical colleges. These are category-C admissions


2. Another important issue is NRI quota admissions in private medical colleges through Neet

While it is clear that admissions under category A and B in the state will be admitted through Eamcet and Neet respectively now. However, it is only after the Neet ordinance has been passed that they realized that the NRI quota admissions will also be done on merit basis- that is through Neet.

This fact is alleged to have made the association a worried lot. A media report implied that even though the NRI quota is 15% of seats in private medical colleges, on ground facts are quite different. According to Medical Council of India (MCI) former member C L Venkata Rao, it has become so fraudulent that there are not more than 2 per cent of NRIs out of 310 seats under the quota in the State.

On the other hand, the management association reasons that a single class hosting students from two different streams is not fair. Students from separate streams will have difficulty in following different exam patterns and syllabus.

A media report implies that NRI quota is the main business for private medical colleges as they charge a huge fee for a single medical seat. One seat price is upto Rs 2.5 cr as permitted by the state government. NRI admission business of 310 seats means Rs 500cr annually. .

This defense by the private medical colleges is in contrast of support being raised in favor of Neet. It is alleged that capitation fee is earned through a bid admission racket by private medical colleges across India. Therefore, Neet attempts to put a full stop on this malpractice, by allowing admissions on merit basis for students. But the ordinance seeks to look at the NRI quota the other way round. It is also alleged that under the NRI quota, there are more non-NRI students than the actual NRI’s. As per the guidelines, the seats under the quota should be filled with NRIs as a first preference followed by their dependents and those sponsored by them.

Also, there is no clarity on the fee structure for students under the management quota till now. Admission will be through Neet, however, the fee structure still lacks clarity even after the the admission fee regulatory Committee (AFRC) has given its permission for Rs 55 lakh for five-year MBBS course. Still, NEET ordinance perspective is not clear on the matter as yet. A leader from the association on condition of anonymity said to

TOI that private medical colleges would become unviable if the present fee structure is not maintained in line with the AFRC recommendations.

The minister, according to sources, took a break from the Collectors conference, which was underway, to meet the management representatives of private medical colleges. Sources from the minister's office said the meeting failed to find a solution to the Neet-induced issues and that the minister reportedly promised to address them within two-three days by taking them up with the union health minister Jagath Prakash Nadda.