‘Free seat under 7.5 per cent quota not free in govt medical college

Chennai: A ‘free’ MBBS seat for government school students under the 7.5 per cent quota comes at a cost of 7,773, which is nearly 50 per cent of the government-mandated fee of 13,273. Worse, the excess fee is charged by the government-run K A P Vishwanathan Medical College in Trichy.

This unexpected demand prompted a Scheduled Caste student to return home looking for a loan from family and friends on Thursday. When the candidate reported for admission, a senior administrator gave a form to him, demanding payment of 7,773 under different heads including ‘university fee’, Flag Day fee, and ‘miscellaneous fee’.

When TOI contacted the college administration, a senior official said: “We have told them that this will be refunded as soon as the government gives us the fee. This was done to ensure that the university fee is not delayed.”

In 2020, the Tamil Nadu government introduced the 7.5 per cent quota for admission of students from government schools in state-run medical colleges and self-financing medical colleges. The entire fee for these students including that of hostel and mess will be borne by the government. Last week, 719 NEET-qualified candidates were given MBBS and BDS seat allotment orders under the quota in the presence of health minister Ma Subramanian. Ten students were allotted seats at the government medical college in Trichy.

College dean Dr D Nehru, who initially denied collection of any fee from candidates selected under government school quota, later said “Only one student selected under 7.5 per cent quota has paid the fee. The college can reverse this fee too.”

Director of medical education Dr. R Shanthi Malar said: “A team at the college collected the fee without discussing it with the vice-principal or dean. It will be sorted out by tomorrow.”

Strict instructions have been given to all medical colleges asking them not to demand any fees from candidates admitted under the 7.5 per cent quota, she said. “The colleges should send the report and amount required including hostel, exam, and book fees to the directorate. Our office will compile and send them for fund allocation,” she said.