Nearly 2,500 students pursuing the post-graduate course in medical studies across the state have been told that they cannot appear for the third year exam as they have not paid their fees. Most of the students belong to the SC category and have claimed that they do not have the means to pay the fees and deserve to get free-ship that is being denied to them. After repeated pleas to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) to accept exam forms fell on deaf ears, the students have written to the Cabinet minister for social justice & special assistance Rajkumar Badole, who said he would look into the issue and take a favourable decision for the students.
Ghanshyam Sonar, an activist from the Campaign Against Commercialisation of Education (CACE), who has taken up the issue, said, “The DMER, deans of government medical/BMC-run colleges are not allowing the SC category PG students to submit examination forms unless they pay the tuition fees. Students are eligible for free-ship, however, college administration is harassing them.”
Explaining the grounds on which the students are being denied free-ship, Mr Sonar said that director, DMER, dean of government and BMC medical colleges argue that PG students receive a stipend so they must pay fees.
“As the students belong to poor households the stipend amount goes towards paying for lodging, food, books, and maintaining the day-to-day expenses required for the PG studies. A majority of the SC students come from socially and economically poor backgrounds. If they pay the tuition fees, they will be left with nothing for their daily expenses. They will not be able to complete their higher education,” he said. He added that even though the rule under Scheme of Post Matric Scholarships to the Students Belonging to Scheduled Castes says: “The student can, however, accept free lodging or a grant or ad hoc monetary help from the State Government or any other source for the purchase of books, equipment or for meeting the expenses on board and lodging in addition to the scholarship amount paid under this scheme,” the DMER and deans are refusing to oblige the students hence they had no option but to approach Mr Badole.
