Kerala: Consensus likely on self financing medical colleges fees

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The way has been cleared to end the row over the fees in the self-financing medical colleges following the talks held by former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and  Muslim League leader Dr. M. K. Muneer with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday. Mr Vijayan will hold discussions  with the self-financing medical colleges management association on Tuesday as suggested by Mr Chennithala who termed the meeting with the CM as fruitful.  

He told reporters that if the private managements themselves decide  to reduce the fees, the Opposition will not oppose it. “We wanted  the CM or the government to hold talks with the private managements association.  He has promised that the fees structure in Pariyaram medical college would also be discussed at  Tuesday’s meeting,”  said Mr Chennithala.  If the talks succeed, the indefinite fast  by the UDF MLAs will be called off. The Opposition has been stalling the Assembly proceedings since Monday last over the hike in fees.  

If other managements decide to reduce the fees,  the  Pariyaram medical college also will have to follow suit. The Congress leaders held  several rounds of meetings  with those of the UDF, KSU and Youth Congress.  The two Congress MLAs, Hibi Eden and Shafi Parambil, continued their fast on the sixth day though  their condition has become weak. UDF convener P. P. Thankachan told reporters that they would  intensify their strike till a solution was found to the fees issue.  A secretariat march and collectorate marches would be taken out  on Thursday. “We will also hold torchlight  marches in all the 140 Assembly constituencies,”  he said.

The  KSU and Youth Congress will hold a secretariat march and the MSF will take out  a protest march to Pariyaram medical college on Wednesday. Youth Congress state president Dean Kuriakose who started the indefinite fast before the secretariat on the fees  issue told DC that once the issue is settled, the YC will conduct a campaign rally across the state to create awareness on the problems being faced by the  students and parents on admissions to self-financing medical colleges.

All not well in management association

Differences have cropped up among the members of private self-financing medical colleges’ management association on reducing the tuition fees. Though Dr. Fazal Gafoor, MES president, offered to provide  scholarship to poor students, Mr P. Krishnadas, president of Kerala Private Medical College Self- Financing Management Association, did not agree with  the  suggestion.  The management association demanded that the fees  of Rs 2.5 lakh  in government quota merit seats should   be reduced.

Dr. Fazal Gafoor offered to give scholarship to poor students thereby reducing the fees to Rs 1.85 lakh.   The majority of the association members are in favour of Dr. Fazal Gafoor's suggestion.  Association sources told DC that the offer of scholarship would be discussed at the meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday. The association was forced to soften its stand after the  indefinite fast by the UDF MLAs  gained strength.