Reduction of PG Medical Fee at Adesh University: High court notice to government

The order was passed by the division bench of honourable Justices Jaswant Singh and Sant Prakash on a plea filed by Adesh University, Bathinda, and Adesh Institute of Medical Science and Research challenging the state's decision on PG medical fee structure.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the said fee structure modifications announced by the Punjab Medical Education Minister in order to bring uniformity to the MD/MS fee charged at various private medical colleges and universities in the state.

The minister had stated that the private medical colleges and universities were charging excess fee than the fee structure implemented in 2015 so much so that the Adesh University was charging Rs. 16.50 lakh annually from the MD students instead of Rs. 6.50 lakh, which lead to excess financial burden on the students interested in pursuing medical education.

The minister further divulged that the issue was brought to his notice after he assumed charge of the department. He immediately began efforts in right earnest to bring uniformity in fee structure thereby reducing unnecessary burden on the students opting for medical education.

Read Also: MD/MS (Clinical) Course Fee At Private Universities Of Punjab Set To Rs 6.5 Lakh Pa: MEM

Now, challenging the said modification in the fee structure for PG medical courses, the Adesh University had moved the HC.

Viewing the petition, the court in the order observed that the arguments have been entertained only on two following issues:

• The basis on which the competent authority under the Punjab Private Health Sciences Educational Institutions Act, 2006, has fixed the consolidated fee for the PG courses for the session 2020-2021.

• The other issue raised in the petition is how the revised fee structure ordered on May 19 can be enforced in the ongoing admission process, which was initiated on March 11 under February 14 policy.

It was informed to the court that some of the medical students have already deposited the earlier announced rate of fee at the time of admissions in the first counselling held on May 24.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the bench issued the notice for June 18 and directed the state to file a reply to the case.

Attached is the order below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/pdf_upload-130365.pdf

Last month, to end the tyrannical stance of private medical institutes with respect to the MBBS fee structure in the state, the new amendment the Punjab Private Health Sciences Institutions (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Making of Reservation) Act of 2006 has been put into action. Now the Act is- Punjab Private Health Sciences Institutions (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Making of Reservation) Amendment Act 2020.

Read Also: Punjab: New Act To Regulate MBBS, BDS, BAMS Fees At Private Medical Colleges

The fee structure of not only for PG medical courses but MBBS course is also a topic of debate currently in the state as the recent announcement of MBBS fee hike created controversy in Punjab with the students stating that already the fee is highest in the region and now this recent 77 percent rise in the fee structure is a "bid to loot" them.

Read Also: Medicos Vs Govt In Punjab Over MBBS Fee Hike