MBBS, BDS fee can be charged only for 4.5yrs, not 5yrs: Telangana HC

Hyderabad: The Telangana high court on Friday rapped private medical colleges, saying they cannot collect fee from MBBS and BDS students for five years when the course duration was only four-and-a-half years.

The court was also critical of the state government and Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) for siding with the private college managements instead of standing up for parents and students.

A bench of Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice K Lakshman pronounced the verdict in a petition filed by a student, D Padma Teja, of Warangal district. “The period of study of MBBS course as per the Medical Council of India regulations on graduate medical education, 1997, is only four-and-a-half years and not five years,” the bench said.

It said the private colleges should collect year-wise fee for four years. For the remaining six-month period, half-yearly fee should be collected, it said. “It was unfortunate that rules framed by the higher education wing did not provide an opportunity either to students or parents’ association before TAFRC decides upon the contentions of private medical colleges’ association,” the bench said.

Ripping into TAFRC and the government, it said this deprives the students and parents of any scope to protect their interests over fee fixation. “Neither the state government nor TAFRC seem to be bothered about this serious omission in the rules.”

The bench, in its order, said: “We accordingly declare that the action of TAFRC in recommending as well as the action of the state government of Telangana in accepting the recommendation and also in issuing GO (Ms No. 120) on July 20, 2017, permitting the private medical colleges to collect tuition fee from students for five years as arbitrary and illegal.”

The bench categorically said the colleges should collect fee for only four-and-a-half years only. It brushed aside the argument that the authorities were doing it keeping in view of the needs of those who fail in MBBS exams.

“Such exceptions cannot be generalised and it is unfair to ask all the students to bear the burden,” the bench added.