Now, plaint against med college for charging ₹64L for ₹42L seat

Now, plaint against med college for charging ₹64L for ₹42L seat

Yogita.Rao@timesofindia.com 28.12.2024

Mumbai : In yet another complaint filed with Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) against Sangli’s Prakash Institute of Medical Science and Research, a student and her father alleged that the college demanded during the ongoing postgraduate medical admissions Rs 64 lakh for a gynaecology seat. Based on the ad hoc fees decided by FRA, the college can charge up to Rs 42 lakh per annum —four times the regular seat fees of Rs 10.5 lakh—for institutional quota seats. 

The college has challenged a previous FRA order, which mentioned that the ad hoc fees fixed by it are binding on all new colleges/courses. The matter is pending in Bombay high court. In the meantime, FRA’s grievance redressal committee (GRC) has informed National Medical Commission (NMC) and the state’s Admission Regulatory Authority (ARA) about the college’s noncompliance with govt norms, as there have been multiple complaints against it. 

Students complained to GRC even as the PG admission process began last month. The college has denied admission to the new complainant, said a source from FRA, despite the authority’s directive to provide a seat. GRC member Dharmendra Mishra said students budget for their medical education much before the admission process begins. “FRA also fixes the ad hoc fees almost six months in advance. Changing the fee structure at the 11th hour is unfair to the students,” said Mishra, adding that many parents, including a bureaucrat, have complained against the college. He said GRC has already informed NMC and ARA about the case. If the college continues to deny admission, the authority is likely to penalise it as per Section 20 of Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015, he said. 

Under Section 20, a recommendation for withdrawal of affiliation or approval can be made against an institution in case of repeated contraventions. In a fresh directive to the college, FRA has asked it to admit the complainant pending the outcome of the writ petition, take an undertaking from her, and report compliance by Saturday