Adjust fees of medical students from 2017-18 batch as well: Parents

A delegation of parents has written to FRA, seeking clarity on adjusting excess fees charged by private medical institutes

The decision by Fee Regulating Authority (FRA) to adjust excess fees charged by private medical institutes in one academic year by reducing fees of institutes for the next one has been appreciated by several applicants.

Parents have requested the state body to adjust excess fees with the one charged from students of the same batch, without giving the advantage of lower fees to the next batch. (Pic for representation)

However, the parents of existing students in some of these institutes have opposed the FRA directive.

A delegation of parents of students from the 2017-18 batch has written to FRA, seeking clarity in this matter. They have requested the state body to adjust excess fees with the one charged from students of the same batch, without giving the advantage of lower fees to the next batch.

“If colleges have made excess money, it is because they have charged more fees from students from the 2017-18 batch. Why should that excess money be adjusted by charging the 2018-19 batch less? Instead, we should get a discount for the next academic year by adjusting whatever excess money the institute took from us,” said a parent.

In a letter submitted to FRA last week, the parents also mentioned names and fees of three private medical institutes where fees as per recent notice — fees for the upcoming academic year — has been reduced.

“How is it fair that the next batch gets the benefit, but children are charged higher fees? Our only request to the authorities is to adjust the excess money against the fees of our children for the next academic year,” said another parent.

In the last one week, this same group of parents met FRA chairperson, state medical education secretary and director of directorate of medical education and research (DMER) to discuss their viewpoint.

“We want to make sure that our demand is accepted. All the authorities have agreed that our demand is valid,” said another parent.

However, FRA chairperson MN Gilani said the fee authority has only accepted their request for the time being.

“Such decisions can only be taken by the committee, so we will look into the matter and then decide what needs to be done,” Gilani added.