Parents of the students of Rajah Muthiah Medical and Dental Colleges have urged the government to bring the fee structure of the institutions on a par with the government colleges.
The students have been told that they will not be allowed to attend classes unless they pay up the fee dues by March 31. The names of those who do not pay the fees will be deleted from the roster, a circular issued by the principal has warned.
G.R. Ravindranath, general secretary, Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, says the State government took over the colleges from Annamalai University in 2013. They have since been moved to the Directorate of Medical Education, under the Department of Health, from the Department of Higher Education.
Yet the fee structure remains that of a private medical college. Government medical colleges charge ₹13,160 for MBBS and ₹11,610 for BDS, whereas these colleges collect ₹4 lakh for MBBS and ₹2.5 lakh for BDS.
The students have been protesting for a reduction in the fees. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had lent support to the agitation and promised to fulfil the demand if it was voted to power. The DMK is in power now, but it has not reduced the fees, parents said a press conference on Friday. They appealed to the government to bring the fees on a par with those of government institutions immediately.
