The Hindu : Karnataka News : Private colleges may agree to uniform fee structure

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Private colleges may agree to uniform fee structure

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, SEPT. 27. If the three-tier consensus fee structure worked out with the State Government falls through, the private college managements will charge a uniform fee of Rs. 2.08 lakh from all medical students and Rs. 1.47 lakh from dental students.

Announcing this here today, the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) chairman, R.L. Jalappa, said this fee was worked out on the basis of the colleges' revenue costs, setting aside all development activities and depreciation for one year.

But Mr. Jalappa was hopeful that the Government would ensure the implementation of the three-tier fee structure in toto. "We have placed all our cards before the government. They know the Memorandum of Understanding with us is in a mess (after the High Court verdict). Some of their officers have misled them. We have explained our position," he told presspersons here. Meanwhile, it is learnt the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh had convened a meeting with education department officials to sort out the three-tier fee structure issue. A final decision is likely to be announced shortly.

But till the fee issue was sorted out, Mr. Jalappa reiterated that the students sent by the Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell would not be admitted to the COMEDK member colleges. With barely three days to go for the Medical Council of India (MCI)'s deadline to complete the admission process, he sounded optimistic on a solution. "Miracles can happen even in 24 hours," he quipped. The managements had completed their quota of admissions, he informed.

Defends decision

Asked whether COMEDK's decision not to hold centralised counselling had backfired with the charge of multiple admissions, Mr. Jalappa said that it was not the case. "Our decision was correct. It was a question of our autonomy," he said.

He said the COMEDK colleges had collected a registration fee of Rs. 500 to admit the students. The reason was this: "A majority of parents had requested that they had paid up to Rs. 1.65 lakh at the CET cell. They also pleaded that a similar amount cannot be set aside again."

Counselling

Meanwhile the CET cell concluded the extended Casual Vacancy Round seat selection process for medical, dental, Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy courses on Monday. All the seats reserved for medical, ayurveda and Naturopathy and Yoga courses were exhausted.

Only five dental seats under concessional fees, 22 dental seats under higher fees, one Unani and three homoeopathy seats remained unfilled. The admission round Engineering seat selection process for Karnataka engineering rank holders from 12,501 to 14,500 will be held on September 28.

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