Kathmandu, November 12

The Nepali Congress has urged the government to come up with a solution to address the concerns of medical students.

Organising a press meet at the party’s central office Lalitpur today, NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma said, “It is saddening to see failure of the government in addressing the concerns of medical students, who have been protesting against medical colleges. NC requests the government to solve the issue and make arrangements for peaceful and stress-free education environment.”

Medical students have been protesting against exorbitant fees charged in violation of the government’s rule.

Medical students had jointly staged protest in the capital in November as medical colleges refused to refund the extra fee despite the government’s warning. Students of Chitwan Medical College had ended their protest with the signing of an agreement with the college authorities on September 21, at Chitwan District Administration Office. The government had given a month’s ultimatum to refund extra charges, on September 23.

A meeting was held at Chitwan District Administration Office between college students and college administrators. The agreement stated that either the college would refund the extra fee taken from students or adjust the fee by November 4.

The government yesterday issued 15-day ultimatum to medical colleges to refund the extra fee taken from students.

“The government has only been issuing directives. The medical colleges have not refunded extra money taken from students. The government should immediately take effective initiative to solve the issue,” Sharma said.

NC, earlier in the day, had also appealed the government to form a talk team to fulfill genuine demands of Senior Orthopaedic Dr Govinda KC and save his life. “The health condition of Dr KC is deteriorating. Therefore, the government should form a talk team immediately to address his demands,” Sharma said. However, Dr KC ended his protest later, considering public sentiment of nationalism regarding encroachment of Nepali territory Kalapani by India as featured in its recently published political map.