Self financing row: Talks fail to fix medical fee

Thiruvananthapuram: The talks held between the government and the self-financing medical college managements on Tuesday over a proposal to reduce the fees  failed as the managements refused to provide any more scholarships. The talks were initiated  in a bid to end the ongoing hunger strike being staged by the  UDF MLAs.  The managements had held separate discussions with Opposition leaders, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Most of the managements were of the opinion that they have been providing scholarships by admitting students with an annual fees of Rs 25,000 in 20 percent seats which was equivalent to that in  government medical colleges.

Sources said that  only MES medical college represented by MES president Fazal Gafoor was ready for a compromise by ensuring scholarships for all students with annual income less than '3 lakh, who are admitted in merit quota seats. All other managements and the association leaders, including  Mr P. Krishnadas, president   of the  Kerala Private Medical College Management Association (KPMCA),  was opposed to the proposal.

Sources said that  the chief minister did not make any proposal before the managements for reducing the fees.    The association leaders told reporters that their meeting with the chief minister was not to discuss the reduction of fees or scholarship, but on issues, including  admissions to be conducted next year from the NEET rank list. They pointed out that a new fees structure was impossible as the classes were on in the self-financing medical colleges. All other reports were speculations, they  said.