Pvt medical college charging extra fee, allege students; authorities deny charge

Students of a private medical college in Israna area of Panipat have alleged that college authorities are charging extra fee by violating the rules set by the state government for private colleges.

The students of NC Medical College filed their complaint with the Directorate Medical Education and Research (DMER) and Vice-Chancellor, Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences, and other authorities in the government.

Following the complaint, the DMER and Health University have sought an explanation from the college.

The college administration has filed a reply in which it has denied the allegation of overcharging of fee.

In the complaint to DMER and Health University, the students alleged that the college has charged extra fee of Rs 2.73 lakh per student in addition to the fee fixed by the DMER for private colleges in the state.

As per the DMER circular, the college can charge only the fee fixed by the Haryana Government but the NC Medical College in Israna charged Rs 30,000 (one time) as library security fee (refundable), Rs 3,000 as accidental insurance per year, Rs 25,000 as CME charges per year, hostel security Rs 10,000 one time (refundable), alumni fee Rs 5,000 one time, Rs 12,000 for field training/conference/cultural activities per year, Rs 3,400 as MCI/university inspection fee per year, Rs 25,000 genset/utility charges per year from all students.

The students said that a total of 150 MBBS students join the college every year.

The complainants also said that these charges were not mentioned in the official fee structure issues by the DMER. They also said that during the Covid pandemic, students stayed at their homes, but not even a single rupee was returned to them despite multiple requests.

The government has directed that the fee structure be displayed on college website to maintain transparency but the college has not displayed it so far. Even the link to fee structure 2019 is also disabled, the complainants alleged.

Following the complaint, the Joint Director, DMER, and Dean, Academic, Health University, sought an explanation from the college. The college has filed detailed explanation with the authorities.

Dr Dhruv Chaudhary, Dean, Academy, Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences, said a complaint was received and we sought a detailed explanation from NC Medical College about it. The college has filed its reply, he said.

Bhushan Gupta, Chairman, NC Medical College, denied the allegation of overcharging of the fee and said that no fee was charged from students without prior intimation to them. The detailed fee structure was informed to all parents and students at the time of admission, he claimed.

Apart from it, receipts have been given to parents for all fees charged from them. Some amount was taken as security which would be refunded to the students at the time they leave the college, Gupta added.