Week after, aspirants fret over admission and fee

The NEET result was declared last week on September 8. According to the parents of aspiring medical students, this is generally the time for them to make financial arrangements for fees. The general practice would have been to refer to the previous year’s fee-structure. But owing to the NMC guideline about reduction in fee-structure for 50 per cent of seats in private and deemed medical colleges, there is anxiety among parents that the fee-structure for the remaining seats may see an exorbitant hike.

Earlier, in February, the NMC had issued a memorandum about guidelines for fee regulation wherein it was recommended to reduce the fee for 50 per cent seats from private medical colleges and deemed universities by bringing them at par with fees charged by the government medical colleges in respective states and union territories. It has since been challenged in the Supreme Court by the Association of Health Sciences Institutes (AHSI), which filed a petition contesting the NMC’s authority in fixing fees of private unaided educational institutions. The Indian Express had carried a report about it.

“The Madhya Pradesh government has taken the decision to follow the NMC guideline in postgraduation (PG) admissions. But there is no clarity on what is going to happen in Maharashtra,” said Brijesh Sutaria, a parent.

“As the matter remains subjudice, there is no clarity on the fee-structures of private and deemed colleges. The delay in the announcement of fee structures by the Fee Regulation Authority indicates that there could be considerable change in the amount,” said another anxious parent.

“There is definitely an element of anxiety among parents about this. But this is beyond just the fee-structure. The authorities have not issued a brochure for the admission process so that the aspirants and parents could study and challenge it if they oppose any criterion,” said Sudha Shenoy, another parent.