MBBC fee decision: the process has to go third time as well

Thiruvananthapuram: After the High Court cancelled and directed to revise the fee tariff for MBBS, the deciding committee will have to start off drawing up one afresh.

Twice had the committee for deciding fee headed by Justice Rajendrababu drawn up the fee structure.

The management association had moved the court against the first structure drawn up in 2017.

HC annulled the fee tariff as it had been done by a committee that lacked a quorum.  

Following this in 2019 a reorganized committee, set up through ordinance, decided the fee structure again, with 10 per cent hike against the previous tariff.

A disgruntled management approached the court again. The government moved the Supreme Court against HC’s direction to the managements to produce documents linked to deciding fee.

The Supreme Court directed the HC to reconsider the case, and following which the High Court cancelled the fee structure and asked to draw up one.

The management argued that the committee had no right to decide the fee.

Given the cancellation of fee structure, the process involving weeks of marshalling will have to be repeated this time too.

However, health minister’s office responded the procedure will be taken after receiving the copy of the order.

Alongside disputed fee structures, the fee tariff for the year 2020-21 will also have to be drawn up.

It might involve scrutiny of revenue and expenditure of colleges.