MBBS fee in Kerala: SC stays Implementation Of Fresh Report Of Fee regulatory commission
Thiruvananthapuram: In advancement to the case pertinent to the MBBS fee structure set by the Fee Regulation Committee (FRC) for private medical colleges in Kerala, the Supreme Court has restrained implementation of a fresh report of the FRC as it recently issued an order that if the Committee submits any report after the remand by the High Court, the same should not be implemented during the pendency of the case in the apex court.
The order came on a special leave petition filed by Karuna Medical College challenging the Kerala High Court judgment which set aside the fee fixed by the fee regulatory commission for the MBBS courses in self-financing colleges in Kerala.
To elaborate on the issue, the Committee drafted the MBBS fee structure applicable to the private medical colleges in the state for the past academic sessions as Rs 4.15 lakh for the 2016-17 session; Rs 4.80 lakh for the year 2017-18; Rs 5.54 lakh for 2018-19, Rs 5.85 lakh to Rs 7.19 lakh for the academic year 2019-20.
The same was challenged by the management of self-financing colleges in the state, who had contended that the committee should have fixed the fee based on the available materials. The management had alleged that there was no application of mind by the committee while fixing the fee afresh.
The petitioners had added that the past fee structures were too low.
Deliberating the issue, the bench of Justices A M Shaffique and T V Anilkumar had set aside the MBBS fee structure drafted by the state Fee Regulation Committee.
The court had decided to lay back from the whole issue and directed the Fee regulator to consider afresh the plea of the managements and redetermine the fee structure on the basis of facts and relevant information of the medical colleges' premises and administration.
Also Read: On Plea Of Private Medical Colleges, Kerala HC Sets Aside MBBS Fee Set By FRC
Now, a special plea moved with the apex court by the Karuna Medical College has challenged the Kerala high court's order that set aside the fee structure determined by the Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee for MBBS courses in self-financing medical colleges in the state for the academic years from 2017-18 onwards till 2019-2020.
In this regard, the apex has issued a notice. A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, which also included Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian ordered;
"Issue notice.In the meantime, if the Fee Regulatory Committee submits any report after remand, the same shall not be implemented",
To access the official judgement, click on the link below
