Private Medical Colleges in Karnataka demand a 15 per cent fee hike for UG medical and dental courses

The representatives of private medical colleges in Karnataka have demanded a 15 per cent hike in fee for undergraduate medical and dental courses for the academic year 2018-19. In a meeting chaired by Medical Education Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday, the representatives of Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) and Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges Association demanded a 15 per cent fee hike. The government, however, has said that increasing the fee will be against the memorandum of understanding signed between private medical colleges and the state government during the 2017-18 academic year, in which it was stated that 10% fee hike will be applied for the next three years.

“They are demanding for a fee hike saying that the government has increased the pay scale of employees by 30 per cent... They are also demanding that the fee be fixed to be on par with the fee charged at deemed to be medical universities. But, we are examining the matter legally as we have already signed an agreement as per the 2006 Act during the 2017-18 academic year agreeing for a 10% hike for the next three years,” Shivakumar told reporters after the meeting. However, it looks like the fee for medical and dental courses is likely to be increased by 10% this year.

M R Jayaram, chairman, Karnataka Professional Colleges Foundation said, “We are demanding a 15% hike. But, they are saying it is not possible... will get a clear picture in the next two days.”The Minister has convened a meeting with the representatives of deemed to be medical universities on Wednesday to discuss the issues of seat sharing and fee structure for medical and dental courses.

Recommendation challenged

The Karnataka Professional Colleges Foundation has challenged the recommendation made by the Fee Regulatory Committee headed by Justice D V Shylendra Kumar in the court. Foundation chairman M R Jayaram said, “The committee was not supposed to fix the fee and there was no provision to forward it to colleges. Instead of sending it to the government, the committee has sent it to the colleges. We have challenged it in court.”

We will fight in court: DKS

Considering the Medical Council of India’s permission to start new government colleges proposed in the state and also the already functioning one in Koppal, D K Shivakumar said the government will fight it out in the court.