PATIALA: Punjab chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has failed to live up to his public promise of rducing the fees for 35 management quota seats in private medical colleges in the state. The notification issued by state government has quoted the same fee structure that was applicable last year.

Punjab Chief Minister had made public announcement to review the fee structure of medical colleges after hue and cry raised by the parents of medical stream aspirants.

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) will conduct the  PMET for the admissions in medical colleges of Punjab including Private colleges on 22nd June 2008.

According to the notification issued by Punjab medical education secretary recently the fee structure remained unchanged and the fee for the admission of 50% Government Quota seats in Private colleges will  RS. 1.15 lakhs, and Rs.three lakhs for the 35%  management quota seats.

A state wide protest was launched last year against the fee hike by private medical colleges and Punjab Chief Minister Paraksh Singh Badal had promised to decrease it form next session. Many students have challenged last year notification in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and about half dozen writ petitions were pending. The Punjab Government has yet to file a reply to these writ petitions.  

Despite reducing the fees for the private colleges the Punjab government has increased the hostel and security advance for the hostels. Now according to the notification the general Independent single room will be for Rs. 15,000 per year as compared to 12000 pa. The charges for special Room attached bathroom and air conditioner will be now Rs. 24000/- per year as compared to 20,000 pa last year. The security advance has been increased to rs. 25000 from 10000 charged in the previous year.

The fee for NRI sponsored seats  for full course for MBBS is $ 75,000, for BDS course is $ 35,000. However left over seats of NRI quota will be filled up by the Management of Private Institutions and fee of these left over seats. Any seats remaining vacant under NRI quota till last date of admission in State Colleges shall go to general pool and in the Private colleges shall go to the special management / minority quota, the government notification said. The N.R.I unfilled seats under special management quota will be filled by management itself, however its fee shall not exceed double than the management quota fee, said the notification.