SC girl unable to join BDS as college demands Rs. 2 lakh
National Commission for Scheduled Castes orders notice
A medical aspirant belonging to the Scheduled Caste (Arunthathiyar) community, who obtained a NEET score of 120, couldn’t take up a BDS seat in self-financing college during counselling because she was asked to pay up Rs. 2 lakh fee within 24 hours.
On receiving a representation from the girl and her father in Chennai, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes Vice-Chairman L. Murugan, who was in the city on Friday, said insisting on the fees violated a Government Order issued by the State. “I have directed a notice be issued to authorities seeking an explanation over the complaint,” he said.
S. Devaki of Periyanaickenpalayam in Coimbatore district stood 242 in her community ranking for medical admissions and could have taken a BDS seat during counselling on August 30.
“They said we had to pay Rs. 2 lakh within 24 hours initially to confirm our admission. Though we produced our community certificate and income certificate, she said if we cannot pay we have to give up my seat,” she said.
Ms. Devaki scored 483 out of 500 and has been aspiring to become a doctor. “I worked quite hard to become a doctor but now I cannot get an admission with the fee. We were told by some well-wishers that we need not pay fee, but the scene was different in the counselling,” the disappointed student told The Hindu.
Her father’s annual income is Rs. 90,000, much below the slab of Rs. 2.5 lakh. She and her father are camping in Chennai with the hope of getting help from somewhere.
According to a G.O. Ms. No. 92 dated September 11, 2012 issued by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of the State government, the authorities are not to collect fees from the students of these communities as it would be covered by the government under various scholarship programmes.
When The Hindu contacted Director of Medical Education A. Edwin Joe, he said, “You could ask them to submit a complaint before the Selection Committee and we would take steps to ensure that the self-financing college doesn’t collect fee as per the rules.”
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