Why not shut downcollege for taking capitation fee: HC

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Navodaya Medical College, Raichur, and asked why such institutions should not be closed down.

Justice Vineet Kothari made the observation while hearing a petition filed by Dr Ganesh B, a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru. Dr Ganesh, a final-year student in the college, was denied permission to appear for the final-year diploma exam for not paying the remaining capitation fee.

During the hearing, Justice Kothari was unhappy that the college was taking capitation fee from students. He observed: "You are running a medical college under the name of a trust and there were allegations of a lot irregularities and tax evasion."

Justice Kothari directed the college principal to submit a detailed report on the number of students studying in each division, number of seats allotted and amount of fee collected from them. He directed the college to submit a report on the details of its accounts over three years at the next date of hearing.

Justice Kothari directed the college to give permission to Ganesh to appear for the exams. He further directed Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to file an affidavit explaining what action it has taken against Navodaya Medical College on the irregularities. He also directed making the Indian Medical Council as one of the respondents in the case.

Ganesh is studying diploma in (Ortho) in Navodaya Medical College, Mantralayam Road in Raichur. It is a two-year course and he had to write the final year exam next month but the college denied him permission. He challenged this before the high court.

He submitted in the petition that the college asked him to pay Rs 60 lakh as capitation fee during admission. However, he was able to pay only Rs 20 lakh. The college denied him permission to write the exams unless he paid the remaining Rs 40 lakh. The case was adjourned to June 5 for further hearing.

DH News Service