NEWS TODAY 28.12.2024

 

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

Homeopaths can prescribe allopathic meds after course

Homeopaths can prescribe allopathic meds after course

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 28.12.2024

Mumbai : Homeopaths who have completed a certificate course in modern pharmacology can prescribe allopathic medicines, according to a directive issued by the state Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to chemist retailers and wholesalers in the state. The FDA directive comes almost a decade after the state govt changed definition of registered medical practitioners under the Maharashtra Medical Council Act to include homeopaths. “All retail and who lesale drug dealers can sell allopathic medicines to homeopathic registered doctors who completed the course, and retail drug dealers can sell drugs on prescription issued by these doctors,” said FDA’s order. Homeopathic doctors, led by Maharashtra Homeopathic Council administrator Dr Bahubali Shah, were happy with the move that effectively allows them to now practise modern medicine. 

However, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is upset and plans to take legal recourse against “mixopathies.” IMA Maharashtra president Dr Santosh Kadam told TOI, “We moved the courts when permission was given for them to practise, and the matter is still sub-judice. We will take up the FDA directive in court as well.” On Friday, FDA commissioner Rajesh Narvekar said there was confusion among chemists about allopathic prescriptions written by homeopaths. “Our directive clearly states the govt in 2016 changed definition of registered medical practitioner to include homeopaths who passed a certificate course in modern pharmacology recognised by the state govt,” he said

Ex-wife, son can travel to visit her parents: HC ‘Won’t Interfere With Family Court’s Nod For Trip’

Ex-wife, son can travel to visit her parents: HC ‘Won’t Interfere With Family Court’s Nod For Trip’ 

Rosy.Sequeira@timesofindia.com 28.12.2024

Mumbai : Bombay High Court refused to further delay the travel of a woman and her nine-yearold son to visit her parents in Singapore after her former husband sought to prevent it. The trip was originally scheduled between Dec 22 and Jan 4. “I am not inclined to interfere with the permission granted by the learned Family Court (FC), which has entitled the respondent-mother and the minor son to travel to Singapore within the parameters set out by the... court,” said Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan on Thursday.

In Sept 2022, the Supreme Court had dissolved the couple’s marriage and endorsed consent terms. Neither would take their son out of India without four weeks’ prior intimation to the other. In contempt proceedings filed by both, SC on Jan 19 said consent terms could be modified by an appropriate legal forum. So, after the FC’s order, the father moved the HC vacation bench, saying the mother is a flight risk as she and the son are Singapore citizens. 

Senior advocate Aabad Ponda said if his son does not return, his interest in having access to the child would be jeopardised. Justice Sundaresan said on the contrary consent terms bind the parties, and “it is incumbent on the father to ensure there is no impediment to such travel... envisaged in consent terms”. The mother’s advocate, Mrunalini Deshmukh, said it was known she and the son are Singapore citizens during the signing of consent terms. She referred to the mother’s undertaking to FC to return as scheduled on Jan 4. 

Justice Sundaresan said the father’s flight risk apprehension is allayed by the mother’s undertakings to FC, and reiterated in person to HC. The father raised an issue of the mother's renewing her leave-and-licence agreement for mere three months after it expired in Nov and that it was also not registered. The judge said its non1 registration “does not turn the needle in favour of preventing the departure of respondent-mother and minor son on the proposed vacation trip”. He noted the mother had enhanced the licence period for further 11 months to deal with the father’s objection. “I see no basis to hold up any further, the proposed travel of the respondent-mother with the minor son,” said Justice Sundaresan. 

He noted that having delayed the original departure, the mother was willing to incur additional expense to book fresh tickets to be able to travel forthwith. The only impediment was the son’s passport and the OCI card kept in Deutsche Bank’s joint locker. The father said he would come to Mumbai on Friday to enable the mother to access the son’s documents. Justice Sundaresan directed the bank to release them to the mother should his visit not transpire. Justice Sundaresan declined Ponda’s request to interview the child, saying the consent terms “are loud and clear in relation to such travel”. “...there is no necessity to further delay the matter, and subject the child to the trauma of having to visit the court and being interviewed about whether a vacation to meet grandparents would be in order,” he added