HYDERABAD: Finding fault with authorities concerned permitting the private medical colleges to collect tuition fee from students for five years though an MBBS course is only of four-and-a-half years, Telangana High Court directed the State private medical and dental colleges to collect tuition fee only for the duration of the course.
The Court declared the action of Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) in recommending, as well as action of the State in accepting the recommendation, vide GO 120 dated July 20, 2017, permitting the association members to collect tuition fee from students admitted in private medical colleges for five years though the period of study of MBBS course is only for four-and-a-half years, as arbitrary and illegal.
"It appears as if the State is proceeding on the assumption that all students who get admission to MBBS course are likely to fail and would require an additional six months course study and therefore, for all students, the fixation of fee shall be for five years. Such presumption is wholly without any basis because only some of the students might fail and require to be provided additional study period, but on that account all students cannot be charged tuition fee for five years when the course of study as fixed by the Medical Council of India is only four-and-a-half years," the Court observed.
Justice MS Ramachandra Rao was passing this order in the petition filed by a girl student assailing the action of Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, Warangal and the State government enabling collection of annual tuition fee for five academic years. Justice Ramachandra Rao in his order said any violation shall stipulate action under the AP Educational Institutions (Regulation of admission and prohibition of capitation fee) Act, 1983.