Finally, Punjab govt amend fee regulation act for pvt medical institutions
Representational Image CHANDIGARH: After dithering for long, the Punjab government has finally decided to bring private universities also into the ambit of the legislation regulating medical education institutes’ fee. The existing ‘Punjab Private Health Sciences Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Making of Reservation) Act 2006 is applicable only on private medical institutions and not on private universities or deemed universities.
The ambiguity causes confusion among aspirants regarding fixation of fee, reservations of seats and admissions by the private institutes. Taking advantage of the loophole, the private institutes indulge in profiteering and there is wide variation in fee charged by them.
The amended bill — Punjab Private Health Sciences Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Making of Reservation) Amendment Bill, 2020 — has been notified. It will be tabled in the budget session starting February 20. After getting nod of the House, the amendments will come into force from next academic session.
By amendments in the Act, the state government would empower itself to determine the fee to be charged by all the private health sciences educational institutions, including private health institutions/universities which are not established and administered by the central or state government. It includes any university, deemed university or college, whether aided or unaided and non-minority institutes governed by an individual or a trust.
Once the amendments come into force, all private institutions will also have to reserve seats for admission in open merit category and management category for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes candidates as per quota fixed by the state government from time to time.
Lauding the move, National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) trainer Dr Arvind Goyal said the step to regulate the fee structure of deemed universities and private medical colleges by the government was long overdue and would come as great relief for the medical aspirants. “Because of exorbitant fee, merit takes a back seat. Private colleges should not indulge in profiteering by charging such high fee which makes medical education unaffordable for most of the aspirants. Even the Supreme Court has ruled that there should be no profiteering in the field of education,” he added.
Punjab medical education minister O P Soni said that the decision had been taken to streamline and remove confusion pertaining to fee, reservations of seats and admissions. “This issue has been pending for long and the Congress government is committed to provide quality education at affordable price,” added Soni.
After-effects of HC order
To regulate admissions and fee in private medical institutions, the department of medical education issued a notification in 2012, which was challenged by Adesh University in Punjab and Haryana high court. The court passed an order in 2014 and held that the universities were not covered under the Act of 2006, and it was applicable only to private medical institutions and not private universities.
The ambiguity causes confusion among aspirants regarding fixation of fee, reservations of seats and admissions by the private institutes. Taking advantage of the loophole, the private institutes indulge in profiteering and there is wide variation in fee charged by them.
The amended bill — Punjab Private Health Sciences Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Making of Reservation) Amendment Bill, 2020 — has been notified. It will be tabled in the budget session starting February 20. After getting nod of the House, the amendments will come into force from next academic session.
By amendments in the Act, the state government would empower itself to determine the fee to be charged by all the private health sciences educational institutions, including private health institutions/universities which are not established and administered by the central or state government. It includes any university, deemed university or college, whether aided or unaided and non-minority institutes governed by an individual or a trust.
Once the amendments come into force, all private institutions will also have to reserve seats for admission in open merit category and management category for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes candidates as per quota fixed by the state government from time to time.
| Medical Education Status | |
| Total number of medical colleges | 10 |
| Total number of MBBS seats | 1,225 |
| Total number of government medical colleges | 3 |
| MBBS seats in govt colleges | 600 |
| Total number of private medical colleges | 5 |
| MBBS seats in pvt colleges | 625 |
Lauding the move, National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) trainer Dr Arvind Goyal said the step to regulate the fee structure of deemed universities and private medical colleges by the government was long overdue and would come as great relief for the medical aspirants. “Because of exorbitant fee, merit takes a back seat. Private colleges should not indulge in profiteering by charging such high fee which makes medical education unaffordable for most of the aspirants. Even the Supreme Court has ruled that there should be no profiteering in the field of education,” he added.
Punjab medical education minister O P Soni said that the decision had been taken to streamline and remove confusion pertaining to fee, reservations of seats and admissions. “This issue has been pending for long and the Congress government is committed to provide quality education at affordable price,” added Soni.
After-effects of HC order
To regulate admissions and fee in private medical institutions, the department of medical education issued a notification in 2012, which was challenged by Adesh University in Punjab and Haryana high court. The court passed an order in 2014 and held that the universities were not covered under the Act of 2006, and it was applicable only to private medical institutions and not private universities.
All Comments ()+^ Back to Top
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.
HIDE