Question : RECOGNITION OF MEDICAL COLLEGES

(a) whether the Government has recently recognized a few medical colleges in Kerala under private self-financing professional colleges;

(b) if so, the details of total seats available on the basis of merit in the private self-financing professional colleges;

(c) the fees fixed for admission based on merit in private self-financing medical colleges, category-wise;

(d) whether the Government has formulated/proposed to formulate guidelines for fixing merit quota and fees in these colleges;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI A. RAJA)

(a) to(f) : No self financing private professional medical college has been given recognition by the Central Govt. in recent past. However, in the recent past permission has been granted by the Central Govt. for establishment of 6 new medical colleges in the State in Private Sector with intake of 100 each.

The Hon`ble Supreme Court in its judgement dated 14.8.2003 in the case of Islamic Academy of Education and other Vs. State of Karnataka and others has directed that the different percentage of quota for students to be admitted by the management in each minority or non-minority unaided professional colleges shall be separately fixed on the basis of their need by the respective State Governments. The remaining seats shall be filled up through the common entrance test conducted by the State agencies themselves. However, for the academic year 2003-04 as the outer time limit for admission of students was fast approaching or had gone, as a temporary arrangement the Hon`ble Court directed that the seats be filled by the institution and the State Governments in the ratio of 50:50. The Hon`ble Court has further directed that the management could select students, of their quota, either on the basis of the common entrance tests conducted by the State or on the basis of the common entrance test to be conducted by an association of all colleges of a particular type in that State, e.g. medical, engineering etc. The Hon`ble Court has also clarified in this judgement that each private institutions shall have the freedom to fix its own fee structure.

In the aforesaid judgement, the Hon`ble Court also directed that the respective State Government shall set up two separate Committees headed by a retired High Court judge who shall be nominated by the Chief Justice of the concerned State. One of the above said Committees would decide whether the fees proposed by the institute concerned are justified and are not profiteering or charging capitation fee. The fee fixed by the Committee shall be binding on the institute for a period of three years. The other Committee shall ensure that the tests conducted by the association of colleges is fair and transparent.