Date:27/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/27/stories/2007072756620100.htm

Kerala

Panel likely to revise fee structure

Staff Reporter

Allotment made on Thursday for professional courses may be jeopardised

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fee structure announced by the P. A. Mohammed Fee Regulatory Committee for professional courses is set to undergo changes in the wake of an interim order of the Kerala High Court on Thursday.

As the fee specified for management seats in the pacts signed by the Government with managements of self-financing colleges is higher than what was prescribed by the committee, one way out of the situation created by the court order would be for the Mohammed committee to revise the fee it had earlier set for engineering / medical courses. This ‘revision’ can also come in the form of a formal acceptance by the committee of the individual fee requirements submitted by engineering managements

This was reportedly the core issue at the talks held here on Thursday evening between Education Minister M.A. Baby and representatives of the association of managements of self-financing engineering colleges. Based on an assurance from the Government that it will work with the Mohammed committee on the matter of fee, the association representatives, led by its president G.P.C. Nayar, told Mr. Baby that they would stand by the agreement on seat and fee signed with the Government.

“ The Government will hold discussions tonight (Thursday night) with legal experts, including the Law Secretary,” Mr. Baby said.

The Government will also debate the advisability of bringing out an ordinance on the fee in self-financing colleges.

The interim order of the High Court is also likely to jeopardise the allotment made by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations at 1 a.m. on Thursday. Allotments were made to about 7,400 engineering seats, 680 MBBS seats in government colleges; 85 seats in Cochin Cooperative Medical College; 120 BDS seats; 300 seats for B.Sc. Nursing; 24 for B.Sc. MLT; 220 for BAMS; 250 for BHMS; 147 for Agriculture; 50 for Fisheries; 22 seats for B.Sc. Forestry; 120 for BVSc; 85 for Architecture and to 80 seats for B.Pharm.

Now that the High Court has struck down the merit-cum-means category under which allotments were made to self-financing professional colleges under the government quota, a reallotment is likely. According to Government sources, such a reallotment will mean that a number of students who were allotted under the merit-cum-means category — particularly for engineering courses — may lose out in the race for seats.