PG Medical Admissions in Telangana: HC allows doctors to pay certain percentage of fee and join

As per the court's directions, the students who belong to the Convenor Quota (A Category) will have to pay 50 per cent of the enhanced fee. This is in addition to the fee prescribed in GO 29, dated May 2, 2016. The HC also asked them to submit a bond for the remaining 50 per cent in favour of medical colleges.

Further, the bench directed those who fall in category 'B' (management quota sub-category 1) to pay 60 per cent of the enhanced fee, in addition to the fee prescribed in the GO, and to give a bond for the remaining 40 per cent.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported about the fee hike for PG medical courses in the state. The fee structure had been fixed based on the recommendations of the Telangana Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) and it will be applicable to all private unaided non-minority and minority PG medical as well as professional institutes in the state, as per the Government Order (GO).

The fee for Convenor Quota (A Category) seats for clinical degree and Diploma courses; will be ranging between Rs 7 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh. For Management Quota (B Category), the fee will be around Rs 23 to Rs 24 lakh and fees for NRI Quota (C Category) will be three times the category B. For dental courses, the highest fee was fixed at Rs 6 lakh per annum.

This step by the fee regulatory authority had apparently caused a setback to the PG medical students, who had then come up against the decision calling it "anti-student" and took this issue to court.

Read Also: After Karnataka, PG Medical Fees Hiked In Telangana

Now, during the recent hearing on the petition filed by 121 medical students challenging the GO 20 issued by the State government on April 14, the counsel on behalf of the petitioner students contended against the phenomenal increase in the fee of MD, MS and PG Diploma in medical courses and urged the court to pass orders in the interest of the medicos.

The GO recommended a higher fee structure for private unaided minority and non-minority professional medical and dental courses for the block period of 2020-2023, reports TNIE.

He argued that it is unclear on what grounds TAFRC hiked the fee to the maximum of 554.5 per cent in the convenor quota, and 313.8 per cent in the management quota.

It was presented to the court's attention that due to the petitioner students inability to deposit the entire fee, they are likely to lose their seat and would not be considered for the Round 2 counselling as per the norms. Despite the merit, these students may be denied admission to these PG medical courses. As May 25 happens to be the last date for depositing the fee, the students would find it extremely difficult to comply with the medical colleges' demands during the lockdown, according to TNIE.

After noting the predicament of the students and their parents as well as the state who are all going through this crucial time of coronavirus epidemic, the bench went to find a way to balance its decision to benefit both the sides.

The bench of Honourable Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Shameem Akther decided to its interim orders on the submission of fees. The students of Convenor Quota (A Category) will have to pay 50 per cent of the enhanced fee in addition to the fee prescribed in GO 29, dated May 2, 2016. The HC also asked them to submit a bond for the remaining 50 per cent in favour of medical colleges.

Further, the bench directed those who fall in category 'B' (management quota sub-category 1) to pay 60 per cent of the enhanced fee, in addition to the fee prescribed in the GO, and to give a bond for the remaining 40 per cent.

The high court also accorded no relief for Category-C which also includes NRIs among others. Institution quota, which also falls under Category-C, was left untouched by the high court.

This decision would pave the way for admissions into private medical colleges.

"Presently, this court is required to balance the conflicting interest of the students and medical colleges. Prima facie, there appears to be a steep increase in the fee. Considering the fact that the State and nation are passing through a critical phase..., and that the students and parents may find it extremely difficult ... to muster up the entire fees..., we direct the petitioners to pay the fees as above," the bench noted.

The HC directed state, TAFRC and private medical colleges to file their counters within four weeks. It also directed the registry to tag the current PIL, two related PILs pending with the court since 2017 and posted the case to the third week of June, reports TOI

It can be recalled that the previous bench had sought the production of material considered by the fee regulation committee that had recommended the hike in fee. This had resulted in a controversy following the casting of aspersions by the committee's chairman over one of the judges on the previous bench. The bench finally recused itself from the hearing the case following which the Chief Justice took over the case.