Admission Overseeing Committee Serves Notice to 3 Karnataka Dental Colleges over Excess Fees

Three Karnataka-based colleges including Rajarajeshwari Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru; Oxford Dental College, Bengaluru; and Maratha Mandal Dental College, Belagavi have been accused of collecting Rs 1.2 lakh more than the prescribed fee, reports TOI.

The colleges have reportedly charged Rs 75,000 for dental material and Rs 50,000 for clinical labs.

Thus, the Committee headed by Justice B Manohar has directed the colleges to refund the amount or issue show cause as to why no action should be taken against them for violation of the consensual agreement.

The agreement had been signed between the government and the the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges Association and Association of Professional Colleges in Karnataka. As per the agreement, the colleges are allowed to collect Rs 3.6 lakh for government-quota seats and Rs 6 lakh for seats allotted to the private management.

Apart from this, another Rs 15,000 on yearly basis and transportation fees can also be collected. Further, the colleges are allowed to charge skill fees of additional Rs 30,000 if they provide it.

Also Read: Private medical colleges in Maha get FRA showcause notice for charging Rs 1 to 2 lakh as caution money

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the committee received several complaints which indicated that apart from the fees mentioned before, the college authorities were demanding fees for material and clinical fee as well. In fact, the college authorities reportedly "demanded and forcefully collected Rs 1.2 lakh towards dental material and clinical fee".

"Any fee collected over and above the fee mentioned in the covenant is contrary to law and construed as collection of capitation fee which was prohibited under the provisions of Karnataka Educational Institutions (prohibition of capitation fee) Act, 1984," read the notices, as reported by TOI.

While commenting on the matter, Justice B Manohar told the daily, "The notices were dispatched on Tuesday. We've the admission order and receipts from students. They have charged Rs 75,000 for dental material and Rs 50,000 for clinical labs, which are not permissible under law."

Meanwhile, responding to the issue, the president of Maratha Mandal Group of Institutions, Rajshree Nagaraju informed the daily that they have not received the notice yet. "For every amount we are charging, we are giving a receipt. We have also displayed on our website the fees we are charging. We have a research centre, which is a centre for excellence approved by RGUHS, where we give skill development programme, and a red cross fee that we give to the university. Students have the right to ask if I am not giving a receipt. Here, there is a receipt and a reason. There is transparency," she added.

On the other hand, the authorities of Oxford Dental College have claimed that for now they have asked all the students not to pay any fees at the college. The principal of the college, Dr. AR Pradeep said, "We have not asked students to come and pay any fees in our college. Students have to pay fees only at KEA. The last date for admissions, as per the Dental Council of India, was November 20. However, the state government conducted the counseling in December. Hence, all admissions are yet to be approved."

RR Nagar Dental College expressed its unwillingness to respond to the matter before receiving the notice.