After reports of a few medical colleges collecting essential fees from the MBBS students admitted under the 7.5% quota for government school students surfaced, Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Medical Education and Research sent a circular to all deans of medical colleges to strictly follow the rules and not to collect any fees, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
In a circular issued on Friday, August 4, Director of Medical Education and Research, Dr R Shanthimalar, said the heads of institutions have been repeatedly instructed not to collect any type of essential fees such as tuition, special, examination, hostel, mess, book, basic materials like a white coat, stethoscope and other fees from students admitted under 7.5% quota in MBBS and BDS courses in government and self financial medical and dental colleges.
Additionally, girl students admitted under the 7.5% quota are also eligible to get the benefit under Puthumai Penn Thittam. The DME also instructed the heads to provide additional care to these students to overcome the difficulties in learning to cope with their studies, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
Further, Dr Shanthimalar also instructed medical and dental colleges to form a mentor group headed by a senior professor to monitor the academic progress of these students, and also arrange for additional classes if requested or needed by the students. Necessary steps should be adopted as per National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines to curb the menace of ragging of any student, the DME added.
