The directive of the National Medical Commission (NMC) to fix the fee for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed-to-be-universities on par with government seats is yet to be implemented in Karnataka despite multiple recommendations by the Fee Regulatory Committee for Professional Colleges, headed by Justice Subash Adi.
The committee has recommended to the Karnataka government to adopt these proposals in all private medical colleges and deemed-to-be-universities from the academic year 2023-24.
The 2023 NEET exam result, through which admission to medical courses is carried out, has already been announced, and the National Testing Agency (NTA) will announce the counselling schedule soon. The term of the existing Fee Regulatory Committee for Professional Colleges will end on June 18. However, the State Government is yet to act on its student-friendly recommendation.
Karnataka has 23 government medical colleges, 7 deemed-to-be-universities, and 39 private medical colleges.
Medical college fees and seat-sharing with government in Karnataka
In the existing system, the State Government is signing a consensual agreement with private medical college managements to fix the fees and share of seats every year. As per the 2022 consensual agreement, the seat-sharing between government and private medical college management is in the 40:60 ratio, but the fee structure varies with each college. What is significant is that most deemed-to-be-universities refuse to share seats with the government, and convert all those seats to management quota seats.
To curb the capitation fee mafia and provide affordable medical education to all students, NMC released guidelines on February 3, 2022, for determination of fees in all medical colleges, based on the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
According to these guidelines, the fee for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed-to-be-universities should be at par with that of government seats in the same State or Union Territory. The benefit of this fee structure will be first made available to candidates who have availed of government quota seats, which will be limited to 50% of the sanctioned seats of the private medical college or deemed-to-be-university.
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Colleges appealed against National Medical Commission guidelines on fees, but lost case
A private medical college in Tamil Nadu had challenged these guidelines in the Madras High Court. Nitte deemed-to-be-university of Mangaluru too has challenged the same in the High Court of Karnataka. However, both cases were quashed, and NMC guidelines were upheld.
“We have already submitted the recommendation to the government, but there is neither any response nor any action from the government. Deemed-to-be-universities are claiming that they come under the University Grants Commission (UGC). But, the UGC has clarified that there is no such regulation, and the State can fix the fee. We have called a meeting with private medical colleges and deemed-to-be-universities, along with officials of the Medical Education Directorate. However, they are yet to respond. Therefore, in the interest of meritorious students, the government should take necessary action in this regard,” said Justice Subash Adi.
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