Navi Mumbai Medical College Flouting Norms: Continues Charging ₹1.7 Lakh Deposit Despite Fee Regulator's Cap

Mumbai: Days after the state's fee regulator fixed an upper limit on the refundable deposit and caution money charged by medical colleges, a private medical college in Navi Mumbai reportedly continues to charge a higher amount under this head.

The candidates, who got seats allotted at the Terna medical college, Nerul, complained that the institute has refused to reduce the hostel deposit and caution money, which comes to around Rs1.7 lakh. The fees regulating authority (FRA) has capped the total refundable amount charged for the course at Rs 50,000.

However, in a complaint to the FRA, a student who got seat at the college, said that the institute hasn't revised its fee structure, which includes several 'exorbitant' heads such as journals and aprons, gymkhana fee and Insurance, besides the tuition and development fees approved by the regulator.

The students were also baffled when they were told that they will have to compulsorily enroll at the institute's hostel even though they lived nearby. “In addition to these illegal charges, the college administration is also forcing students to join the hostel and mess. This requirement is both unnecessary and burdensome, with the total cost amounting to Rs3.5 lakh,” read the student's complaint to the FRA.

The college is also allegedly creating hurdles for women students to avail the state's newly introduced fee waiver scheme for women pursuing professional courses. The students claimed that they are being asked to sign an undertaking, saying that they would have to pay their entire fees as the government will reimburse the amount by December.

The allegations come in the wake of the FRA's recent decision to put a ceiling limit on deposit money for all health science programmes under any name. The authority, in a directive issued last week, also prohibited them from demanding this amount at the time of admission.

Defending the fee structure, College Dean Dr Sunil Petkar said, “The deposit amount is only for first year students, and is under consideration of appeal to admission regulating authority by the managements of Association of Unaided Institutions.” With regard to compulsory hostelling policy, he said it's to ensure the safety of students.