Tamil Nadu has constituted a committee to inquire into complaints that five private medical colleges collected amounts beyond the fees fixed by the state for medical courses, according to Director of Medical Education and Research Suganthi Rajakumari.
The state government fixes fees for MBBS and BDS seats in Tamil Nadu medical colleges. In government medical colleges, the annual fee is Rs 18,073 for MBBS and Rs 16,073 for BDS.
For private medical colleges, the notified fee for MBBS ranges from Rs 4.35 lakh to Rs 5.40 lakh under the government quota, and from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 16.20 lakh under the management quota. For BDS, colleges can collect up to Rs 2.50 lakh under the government quota and up to Rs 6 lakh under the management quota.
Hostel, transport and food charges must also be within government-prescribed limits and published on the institution’s website. The National Medical Commission has also stated that fees should be collected only for 4.5 years and not during the internship period.
Following repeated complaints that several private colleges were violating these norms and collecting additional charges, the Directorate of Medical Education has begun an inquiry. A committee headed by principals of government medical colleges has been formed and is expected to submit its report within a week. If the allegations are confirmed, legal action will be initiated against the concerned colleges.
