Telangana: Private colleges charge more fees for MBBS, parents upset

Hyderabad: As UG medical admissions begin, private medical colleges are collecting more money for the first year MBBS admissions in the convener quota seats. 

As per the government order, issued on July 20, private medical colleges are supposed to collect Rs 60,000 as tuition fee for the A category seats. Parents, on the other hand, alleged that a few private colleges are collecting Rs 60,000 as caution deposit and special fees, which will not be reimbursed.

Private medical colleges had earlier proposed a 5 per cent hike in fee for the management quota seats. However, the state government had issued an order last month, stating that only management quota tuition fees have been increased by 5 per cent. The order clearly stated that for the convenor quota, private colleges should charge only Rs 60,000. However, a few private medical colleges are reportedly collecting more fees than the permitted limit.

One of the parents on condition of anonymity said, “My son’s college management has collected up to Rs 1.28 lakh from parents in the name of caution deposit, library fees, miscellaneous charges and hostel fees. A parent, who had gone to a private college with Rs 60,000 recently, was surprised when he was asked to cough up Rs 1.28 lakh.”

G. Srinivas, advisor of the Junior Doctors’ Associations, said, “As per the government order,  private colleges can collect only Rs 60,000 per annum as tuition fees for the convenor quota. Many parents and students complain that a few private colleges are charging around Rs 1.2 lakh in the name of admission fees, library fees, insurance fees, hostel deposit and caution deposit. This is a burden for parents as they have to pay Rs 60,000 more apart from the tuition fees which will not be reimbursed.”

Karunakar Reddy, vice-chancellor of Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, said, “If colleges are charging more, students can always complain to us and the Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee (AFRC). Students, however, are not willing to register their complaint as they do not want to invite the wrath of the college management in which they are planning to pursue their higher studies.” 

Private college managements denied the allegations.  “This is a common practice among medical colleges to collect caution deposits, library fees, hostel fees and stipend fees apart from the tuition fees. 

Most of them are refundable. So, parents need not worry about it,” said Laxmi Narsimha Rao, president of the Private College Managements. 

Minority students have asked for postponement of admissions into B category MBBS seats as counselling commenced on Thursday. 

They students wanted 10 per cent increase in management quota as 50 seats had been reduced in this category. 

Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences officials said there was no chance of postponing the couselling and unless the government orders it.