Notification for medical admissions this week

• Status quo on fee structure
• College managements cry foul
• Allegations of sale of seats

In huge relief to hundreds of rankers aspiring to become doctors, the medical fee structure would remain as it is for this academic year 2013-14. It was also decided not to make any changes in the fee structure of PG Medical courses for this year. Electoral compulsions appeared to have forced the government to postpone revision of fee to next year, according to top sources. The Admissions and Fee Regulation Committee (AFRC) has submitted its report- which clearly stated that 'status quo will continue'- to the Department of Medical Education, which forwarded the same for the consideration of Chief Minister N Kirankumar Reddy. He is expected to clear the file in the next couple of days. The NTR Health University, which conducts the admission process, is likely to issue notification first for MD, MS and MDS courses and later for MBBS and BDS, sometime this week. The admission process has to be completed in just 30 days time and classes have to begin from August 1, as per Supreme Court order. A total number of 6,100 seats in UG and more than 3,000 in PG courses are available in all government and private medical colleges across the state. As the government has not hiked the fee, it will also be not particular on online process for management quota seats, according to well-placed sources. Though there are reports of sale of seats by some of the elite colleges, there will not be any 'action' from government side, sources said. As this is the last year of admissions through Eamcet since Neet replaces it from next year, there's scramble for seats. Top colleges have been minting money by selling off seats to the tune of Rs 20-50 lakh, it is alleged. The AFRC was reportedly sounded about government's view a few days back during a meeting of officials with Committee that it has no intention to revise the fee structure and, according to sources, it was also suggested to the body, not to make any recommendations of fee enhancement. "If the fee is enhanced sharply, it would invite widespread criticism from the public and political parties. In the election year, we don't wish to invite trouble. Hence, we decided to continue the same" Kondru Murali, Minister for Medical Education, said to have told the officials. But for public consumption, the department is now saying that since Supreme Court verdict is expected sometime in July or August with regard to a case by private colleges which have been pressing for holding their "own entrance test" for UG and PG courses without banking on Eamcet or Neet, it has been decided not to alter the fee structure. As no recommendation has been made, the whole exercise of AFRC for fee fixation has gone waste. For full one month, the committee, heard the arguments of private colleges and has also taken the view of experts in the field. During the course of arguments, private colleges have requested for a steep hike of over 30 percent in tuition fee and a 10 percent inflationary adjustment facility annually. This means, the fee structure would be hiked to 40 percent and more. But the committee felt it very burdensome on students and parents and thought of enhancing the fee by just 6-10percent, depending upon the college and its infrastructure. The managements did not agree for such a 'meagre enhancement' and sought for reconsideration. Ultimately, it ended up without hike. Managements' request to transfer the 10 percent of seats under category B on to their quota was also rejected. "This is totally unjust. As per the Supreme Court guidelines, the fee revision must be done once in three years but the government failed to honour it. If we challenge it in court as the three-year period was over, government would have to do a lot of explanation. Since it is related to careers of thousands of students, we are in a dilemma whether to go to court or not" a Chairman of a Medical college in the city outskirts told The Hans India. "Running of a medical college is not easy nowadays. I spent over four crore rupees just to bring latest equipment for different departments and build a gym in the college. This is necessary as quality of education has to be imparted. Where can I show this expenditure?" G Bhaskara Rao, General Secretary of Private Medical College Managments Association told The Hans India.