Will take action against fleecing self-financing medical colleges, says TN health minister

CHENNAI: State Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Wednesday informed the State Assembly that the state government will not hesitate to initiate action against self-finance medical colleges collecting fees in excess of the stipulated fees, if specific complaints are received by the government.

Replying to a call attention motion moved during the Zero Hour in the State Assembly by VCK MLA SS Balaji among others regarding the fees for students admitted to MBBS under 7.5% government quota, Subramanian said that as per GO 630 of 2023, students admitted to MBBS under the 7.5% reservation was Rs 1, 49, 741 in government medical colleges, and Rs 9.07 lakhs in self-finance medical colleges as per G O 496 of 2020.

Arguing that the fees included tuition, special, examination, hostel, mess, books, basic materials like white coat and stethoscope and university registration fee/insurance/miscellaneous fees.

Speaking on the motion, former health minister and Viralimalai MLA C Vijayabaskar said that some self-finance medical colleges were demanding between Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh each from the students for internship, and he has proof of such exorbitant fee collection.

Offering to furnish the proof to the Speaker, Vijayabaskar said that medicos admitted under 7.5% quota were also not provided a stipend for internship by the college management. VCK MLA S S Balaji alleged that a couple of medical colleges in his constituency were not permitting the students to take the tests for non-payment of the fees stipulated by the management. Responding to the charges, Minister Subramanian said that the government would forward the complaints, if received, to the fee fixation committee, and it will not hesitate to act against self-financing colleges collecting fees over the sum prescribed.

Minister, deputy LoP spar over claiming credit

The minister and Deputy Leader of Opposition RB Udhayakumar were engaged in a brief exchange in the House after the former, while replying to the motion, said that though the previous regime (AIADMK) passed resolution for providing 7.5% reservation for government quota, it did not materialise till then LoP and incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to the Governor and organised massive protests against the Raj Bhavan for refusing to give assent to the Bill.

Taking exception to the minister's reply, Udhayakumar argued that it was in the EPS regime that a GO was notified without the governor's signature under Article 162 of the Constitution to provide 7.5% reservation to eligible students under government quota.