Date:13/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/13/stories/2007071353290600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Fee hike in private medical, dental colleges in A.P.

HYDERABAD: Students pursuing medical education in private medical colleges, including those run by minority managements, will have to pay higher fee from this academic year with the Andhra Pradesh Government hiking it by Rs. 25,000 to Rs. one lakh under various categories with immediate effect. The fee in private dental colleges has also been hiked.

The Government issued two separate orders fixing fee for non-minority medical and dental colleges, and minority medical and dental colleges.

For non-minority medical colleges, the new fee is Rs.55,000 per annum for each student under 50 per cent (A category competent authority seats), Rs. two lakh for 20 per cent ( B category) management seats and up to Rs.four lakh for 30 per cent ( C category) management seats. Earlier the fee was Rs.30,000 for A category and Rs.1.60 lakh for B category. The fee for C category remains the same at Rs. four lakh. For minority medical colleges, the fee for each seat has been fixed at Rs.55,000 for 70 per cent A category management seats and up to Rs. five lakh for each student for 30 per cent B category management seats. Previously, the fee under A category was Rs.30,000 and Rs. 4.5 lakh for each B category seat.

The fee rates were fixed, based on the recommendation of the Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee which was constituted in pursuance of the orders of the Supreme Court. The committee was headed by retired judge of A.P.High Court, R.Bayapu Reddy. Official sources said the new fee structure which would be valid up to 2009-10 was the same as fixed during 2003-04. It was later reduced by the Congress Government in 2004. For non-minority dental colleges, the fee is Rs.40,000 for each student under 50 per cent A category competent authority seats, up to Rs.1,10,000 for 20 per cent B category management seats and up to Rs.two lakh per annum for 30 per cent C category management seats. For minority dental colleges, the fee is Rs.40,000 for each student for 70 per cent A category management seats and up to Rs.2.5 lakh under 30 per cent B category management seats.