BENGALURU: Private medical colleges in the state are demanding a fee hike for post-graduate medical courses for the 2018-19 academic year. According to management representatives, they are seeking a 50 per cent hike in the fee structure. The issue was discussed at a preliminary meeting of representatives of private medical colleges with Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil on Saturday.
But after the discussions, the minister said he will convene another round of meeting with them and take a decision keeping the interests of students in mind. Speaking after the meeting, Patil said, “They have demanded a huge hike, but we have told them that such an increase is impossible." During the 2017-18 academic year, the fee for PG medical courses was increased by 10 per cent.
At the meeting, the Karnataka Professional Colleges Foundation and Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges' Association demanded a 50 per cent hike in fees for institutional quotaand government quota seats. The management representatives even submitted facts and figures of the fees charged by other states and said it is the lowest in Karnataka.
Shafi Ahmed, secretary of the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges' Association said, “The state government should fulfil our demand considering the expenses incurred by college managements so that we can provide quality eductaion."
