After holding several protests in the past two years, the students of Government Erode Medical College (GEMC) are now hopeful that the Tamil Nadu government will issue an order to ensure that the fees charged by their college is on par with other government medical colleges in the state. The students of GEMC are paying a fee of Rs 3.85 lakh per annum as against Rs 13,000 fee paid by students of other government medical colleges in the state.
The students, who met Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan on Monday, urged Tamil Nadu government to reduce the fee and said they expected a government order within two weeks as reportedly promised by the officials.
In Tamil Nadu, two government medical colleges charge the highest fees—Raja Muthiah Medical College and Hospital in Chidambaram followed by the Government Erode Medical College— these fees are fixed by the Governing Council of the college instead of the Tamil Nadu government, like in the case of other district government medical colleges.
However, Tamil Nadu government earlier this month reduced the fees of Raja Muthiah Medical College and Hospital in Chidambaram after continued protests by the students from Rs 4 lakh per year to Rs 13, 610, which is on par with the remaining government colleges. The move was also after Raja Muthiah Medical College and allied colleges affiliated to Annamalai University were transferred to the Health and Family Department under Tamil Nadu.
Following the order, the students of Erode Medical College, which was already transferred to Tamil Nadu government in 2019 and renamed from Institute of Road Transport Perundurai, intensified their silent protests by boycotting classes. Gowsikan, the direct action committee member of Government Erode Medical College and Hospital said that the confusion was due to the fact that certain decisions are taken by the Institute of Road and Transport (IRT) as students of Transport Corporation are also receiving a quota in the college. Initially started for the benefit of the children of IRT staff, the college was eventually taken over by the state government. However, the power to determine the fees in the college remains with the institute and not with the department of health and family welfare, like other government medical colleges in the state.
Gowsikan said, “The College was developed from the land provided by the Institute of Road and Transport (IRT) under the Tamil Nadu State Transportation Corporation and a section of the transport employees are also continuing to contribute a part of their salary for the development of the college.”
“So, every time we demand a reduction in fees, the government cited IRT's contribution and the quota provided to them,” he said. In 2018, when the college was transferred to the government, Transport Secretary Dravidar said that out of the 100 seats allotted in the college, 30 seats will be provided for the students of state transport corporations, 15 seats will be allotted for All India Quota and 55 seats will remain with the general quota, to be filled by the state government. He also said that the annual fees of the college will remain as Rs 3.85 lakh.
However, the students who are bearing the additional charge, decided to meet the Tamil Nadu Health Secretary. On Monday, around 12 students who are members of the direct action committee of the college met Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan in the presence of the college authorities and placed their demands.
“We demanded the government to reduce the fees on par with the other medical colleges in the state. We also urged the government to continue with the quota and reduce the fees of IRT students as well,” said Gowsikan.
The students say that the Health Secretary assured them a positive response by the end of the week. “Hence we are hopeful that the demand will come true,” Gowsikan said, while adding a cautionary note that if the government does not accept their demands, they would be forced to intensify the protest.
Talking to TNM, Narayana Babu, Director of Medical Education said, “We are curating the petitions of the students and we will be sending the recommendation to the government for consideration.”