Minority medical and dental colleges sign consensual agreement of 10% fee hike

The hike applies to medical and dental seats in management quota, but not government quota

Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges’ Association has signed a consensual agreement for 10% fee hike for management quota medical and dental seats, while Karnataka Professional Colleges’ Foundation (part of COMEDK) has refused to accept the quantum of fee hike, at a meeting called by the Medical Education Department on October 6.

Dr. M.R. Jayaram, Chairman, Karnataka Professional Colleges’ Foundation, declined the government’s offer to hike the fee for seats in management quota, but not government quota. Therefore, last year’s fee will continue at COMEDK member colleges for the academic year 2022-23.

Dr. Jayaram told The Hindu, “Due to Covid-19 pandemic, private medical and dental colleges are facing financial crunch. So, we demanded a 15% hike in the fee. But government has offered a 10% fee hike only for management quota seats. Therefore, we told them that we don’t want a hike at all and decided to go with the previous year’s fee.”

But the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges’ Association accepted the government’s proposal, confirmed Shafi Ahmed, president of the association.

Sources said that the government had earlier agreed to an overall 10% hike as against the 15% demanded by colleges, but later changed its stance as Assembly elections are scheduled in the first half of 2023.