Maharashtra-based medical students recently took a bold step by filing a writ petition at the Bombay High Court (HC) to challenge the hefty caution or deposit fees imposed by medical colleges in the state. A report published in the Free Press Journal mentioned that this move taken by 13 aspirants comes as a response to the financial burden placed on students during the admission process, which has left many unable to secure coveted MBBS seats in private medical colleges.
Financial Hurdle
In their writ petition, most of these students hailing from marginalized sections of society have emphasized the formidable obstacle posed by the requirement to deposit substantial sums of money during the admission process. These funds are allocated to various categories, including hostel, mess, gymkhana, library, and laboratory charges. While these amounts are promised to be refunded upon completion of their courses, the cumulative financial burden, coupled with the regular tuition fees, has proven to be an insurmountable challenge for both the students and their families.
Justification and Impact
Medical colleges cite the need for caution or deposit fees as a means to mitigate potential losses or damages to college property that could occur due to student activities. Across Maharashtra's 22 private medical colleges, refundable payments ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 5 lakh are demanded, with the majority of institutions requesting around Rs 2-3 lakh.
One striking consequence of these steep deposit fees is that students have been compelled to forego consideration of 12-13 private colleges in their application choices. Consequently, this has led to higher admission cutoffs in colleges without deposit requirements, while colleges imposing deposits have seen lower cutoffs. As a result, the petitioners have been left seatless in the first and second rounds of admissions.
Framework Violations and NMC's Directive
The petition also underscores violations of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fees) Act of 2015. According to this legislation, private unaided professional colleges are expressly prohibited from imposing any fees other than those determined by the state's Fee Regulating Authority (FRA).
Furthermore, the students point to an Office Memorandum issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in the previous year, which unequivocally discourages colleges from imposing exorbitant deposit fees. The directive also recommends factoring the interest earned by colleges on the deposit money into their expenses and empowers the FRA to establish a cap on the deposit amounts charged by colleges.
Court Appeal
In light of these pressing concerns, the students have appealed to the court to declare the existing deposit charges as unlawful. They also urge the implementation of a maximum limit on deposit and caution fees, thereby alleviating the financial burden placed on aspiring medical professionals. The case is scheduled for a hearing at HC's Aurangabad bench, where Justices Mangesh Patil and Shailesh Brahme will deliberate on this crucial matter. This challenge to the status quo could pave the way for fairer access to medical education for all in Maharashtra.
Share
Tweet
