Mard writes to Vinod Tawde on high fees

Protesting against high fees demanded by private and deemed medical colleges for admission in undergraduation and postgraduation seats, Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (Mard) has written a letter to the education minister Vinod Tawde.

The letter stated, “We would like to bring to your notice that shameful fact that the MBBS and MD or MS seats in private and deemed medical colleges are openly sold to people. Rates are as high as Rs 50 lakhs for MBBS and up to Rs 2 crore for MD or MS seats are being taken.”

“This unethical trend will only worsen the medical education standards and quality of doctors,” the letter further said.

In May, 2015, governor Vidyasagar Rao signed an ordinance on the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Education Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015. According to it, the state planned to establish separate authorities to regulate the admission process and conduct entrance exams. It is also supposed to regulate the fees at all unaided private professional educational institutions including unaided private medical colleges.

However, according to a former officer from University of Mumbai, nothing has been properly implemented yet. “If this plan was implemented properly, it could have regulated the fee system properly. At times students are charged extra money as donation for admission in medical private colleges,” he said.

Maharashtra has 27 unaided medical and dental colleges with more than 5,000 seats for MBBS, BDS, BSc and other paramedical courses.

According to the list formulated by Mard, there are colleges that are asking for crores of rupees for admission.

The president of Mard Dr Sadar Mundada said, “These colleges select students according to their capacity to pay money over their educational merit. But it will only increase till the basic problem of such corrupt admissions for a essential service care is not taken care of.”

He further added, “We had earlier informed the ministry about it but so far no action has been taken. There is a need to bring a regulation to keep a check on the donation amount charged by these colleges.”

The association also claims that the government provides about 90 to 95 acres land on lease at minimum cost like Rs 1 or Rs 2 per acre every month. “Why should these colleges charge exorbitant amount of money from students when they get such support from the government ” said Dr Mundada.