A government order informing prospective medical students of the hefty fee structure demanded by the State’s private medical colleges has sent shock and disbelief through the parents and students alike. Parents are planning to seek legal remedy for the impasse caused by the order in the wake of a High Court order.
A notification issued by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) on Monday specified the annual fee demanded by the medical colleges between ₹11.5 lakh and ₹22 lakh.
When Travancore Medical College, Kollam, has asked for ₹11 lakh, Malabar MC, Kozhikode, asked for ₹12.37 lakh, Sreegokulam MC, Thiruvananthapuram, ₹12.65 lakh, PKDas MC, Palakkad, ₹22 lakh, Karuna MC, Palakkad, ₹19.5 lakh, Mount Zion MC, Pathanamthitta, ₹15 lakh, Al Azhar MC, Thodupuzha, ₹15.41 lakh, KMCT MC, Kozhikode, ₹12 lakh, DM MIMS MC, Wayanad, ₹15 lakh, and Believers Church MC, Thiruvalla, ₹11.5 lakh.
HC order
The CEE issued the notification following the High Court order, which strongly criticised the Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee.
“It has virtually shattered my dreams of studying MBBS. I was struggling to raise the fee of ₹6.5 lakh when the authorities have given such a blow out of the blue,” said N.P. Abhiram from Kumarakom, whose rank 3,400 is sure to secure him an MBBS seat. He said he would not be able to join if the fee is hiked so steeply.
Habeeb Rahman, a parent from MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna, said that he would not be able to continue his child’s education if the fee is increased so exorbitantly.
Meanwhile, many parents refusing to go on record said the fee panel had deliberately left loopholes for the court to criticise and make incisive interventions. “There’s an understanding between the panel and private managements,” they chorused.
M.S. Jaleel of Career Guru said he suspected that it was a move to chuck out many qualified students who are financially weak. “We have strong doubts. A similar situation happened in 2016,” he said.
Allotment
The CEE will provide another opportunity for MBBS, BDS, Agriculture, Veterinary, Forestry and Fisheries course aspirants to register for the first phase of allotments for admissions during the 2020-21 academic year. While the CEE had earlier provided time to submit options from November 11 to 15, the candidates will be able to exercise the facility from November 18 at 1 p.m. to November 19 at 12 p.m.
The first allotment lists will be published on November 20.
