GMC yet to return extra fees charged from students

Kathmandu, May 20

It has been more than a month since the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology directed Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Centre, Pokhara, to return the extra fees charged from students, but the college has not done so yet.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology had, on March 22, directed the college to return the extra fees charged from students after holding a meeting with students and medical colleges.

“We haven’t received our fees back yet,” said Anit Sinha, an MBBS third year student of GMC.

Speaking over phone, Sinha said the college was seeking excuses for not returning the fees charged in the name of annual fee, library, transportation and field visits. “The college administration is pressuring us to withdraw the complaints filed at the District Administration Office, Kaski, and the district court as precondition for returning our money,” added Sinha.

During a meeting held with the students and the college administration at the ministry, MoEST had directed representatives of the ministry, college administration, Tribhuvan University and representatives of Nepal Medical Council to monitor the college and ensure that it returns the fees collected from students illegally.

However, Nepal Medical Council claims that the ministry has not asked it to monitor the medical college.  Kalu Singh Khatri, a member of NMC said the MoEST hadn’t sent any formal letter to the NMC. “NMC hasn’t carried out any inspection or monitoring of the medical college as there is no official order to do so,” Khatri added.