Haryana to seek Rs 10 crore bond from private medical colleges

Chandigarh, July 31 (IANS) Private medical colleges in Haryana will be required to furnish a bond of Rs 10 crore to ensure that such institutions do not put the future of students in a jeopardy if they shut down, it was announced on Monday.

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said private medical colleges and private unaided medical institutions would be required to sign a bond of Rs 10 crore so that they do not close down in-between and leave the future of medical students in the dark.

The move comes following a recent incident in which the Goldfield Medical College in Faridabad shut down and left scores of students in the lurch.

"Students have to face many adjustment difficulties in these colleges. The matter of acquiring of Goldfield Medical College is under consideration of Chief Minister Manohar Lal and the decision in this regard would be taken soon," Vij said.

Vij said the fee limit has been fixed for MBBS, BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Sciences), BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Sciences) and other courses in private medical colleges and private unaided medical institutions.

"This would bring uniformity in fee structure and would end financial exploitation of students," the minister said.

Under the approved fee structure, the tuition and development fee of Rs 10 lakh annually and NRI initial fee of $110,000 has been fixed for the MBBS course.

"Earlier, private medical colleges used to take exorbitant fee from students... now this would not happen in future. Besides this, private universities and deemed universities would also be covered by the Haryana Private Health Sciences Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Maintenance of Educational Standards) Act, 2012," he added.

Tuition fee of Rs 2.80 lakh annually and NRI initial fee of $44,000 has been fixed for the BDS course.