A committee constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) has sought feedback from the public before setting the fee structure for medical and dental courses of deemed universities and self-financing institutions. The committee has invited feedback from stakeholders by September 15. It has to submit the fee structure by October 31.
The Committee was formed after a bench of the Madras High Court comprising of then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice PT Asha gave directions to the UGC to create the committee by June 30 and formulate a fee structure. The committee consists of 11 members and is headed by AIIMS Director RC Deka.
“This Committee has been entrusted with the task of fixing the fees for Medical and Dental courses offered by self financed Institutions Deemed to be Universities after giving all stakeholders including the institutions deemed to be universities adequate opportunity of representation. The Committee has decided to seek feedback/comments/suggestions from stakeholders/general public on the current fee structure of self-financed Institutions Deemed to be Universities for Medical & Dental courses and proposed fee structure,” a public notice by the UGC read.
In June, the Madras High Court had passed an interim order capping the fees for medical and dental courses at Rs 13 lakh till the committee decided on the fee structure, as the admissions had already begun. The HC had also said that if the figure fixed by the committee was more than Rs 13 lakh, the students will have to pay it.
“We are informed that the (UGC) fee committee has earlier fixed Rs 11.50 lakh as management quota for medical colleges run by the deemed universities and the students may now be admitted subject to the payment of Rs 13 lakh,” the court had then said.
Following this, the Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute went to the Supreme Court, and a vacation bench comprising Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice Indira Banerjee allowed the college to collect its originally demanded fee — Rs 22 lakh.