Pvt SF Medical fee with a nominal hike

Rajendran Puthiyedath

Kochi, May 9, 2012:  Repeating the last year drama of medical fee agreement the state govt today has reached an agreement with Private Self-Financing Medical Colleges' Management Association on the fee of govt. and management quota seats suggesting only nominal hike for the academic year 2012-13 for MBBS course. This agreement replaces the already reached one which gave provision for 3.75 lakhs as annual fee.

Today's agreement which suggests only Rs.1.50 lakhs as annual fee for 30 pc of the 50 pc govt quota seats seems to be a solace to hundreds of students and their parents. The rest 20 pc seats will be set apart for BPL category with a fee of Rs.25,000. 30 pc govt quota seats will have only a nomial hike of 12,000 from last year's Rs.1.38,000. Management quota fee has been increased to Rs.6.5 lakhs from last year's 6 lakhs. Meanwhile, the NRI fee will be Rs.9.5 lakhs this year. Last year it was Rs. 9 lakhs.

All the colleges except three took part in the discussion held at Thiruvananthapuram convened by  Chief Minister OOmmen Chandy. Health Minister Sivakumar, Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan, Director of Medical Education Dr. Geetha, Higher Education Principal Scretary K A Abraham and Commissioner of Entrance Examinations B S Mavoji were among those who took part in today's discussions. Those colleges who abstained from todays's discussions are KMCT Medical College, Kozhikode, Karuna Medical College, Palakkad and Kannur Medical College, Kannur.

The management side was led by their president Dr.Fazal Gafoor and newly elected secretary Anil of Malabar medical College. Anil replaces Abdul Jabbar of Kannur Medical College. The main hurdle for the management association was the presence of Abdul Jabbar who stood for 3.75 lakhs as that of Inter Church Council Medical colleges.

With today's agreement there exists a wide gap in the fee structure of Self Financing Medical Colleges. Medical Colleges under Inter Church Council had already reached an agreement with govt prescribing 3.75 lakhs as annual fees. This comes to be more than double of other pvt self financing medical colleges. The medical entrance results will be out on 25th of May and the allotment process will begin within two weeks from then.