Pokhara, February 4

The local administration has expressed concern about the accusation of students that Gandaki Medical College of Pokhara is fleecing them.

After the agitating students filed a complaint with evidence of the ‘fleecing’ with the District Administration of Kaski and Social Development Ministry on Friday, the administration has started discussion with both sides.

According to students, the college has charged up to Rs 150,000 extra from each student across different faculties in the name of additional fees.

“We talked to both the students and the college administration today in connection with the complaint,” said Kaski Assistant Chief District Officer Rajesh Panthi today, adding the college was asked justify why it charged extra. On his part, College Principal Prof Rabindra Prasad Shrestha argued that they couldn’t teach students by taking fees recommended by the government.

“Upon being asked, we had communicated to the TU Executive Council under what headings we would require to collect additional fees from students, but so far, there has been no decision on whether or not we can take those fees,” said Shrestha.

Shrestha further argued that it was not only the compulsion of only his college to charge additional fees, but all medical colleges in the country too had been forced to charge those fees.

Regarding the extra money charges in fees, MBBS, BN Nursing, BDS, BSC Nursing, Pharmacy students have taken to agitation by padlocking classrooms and the college administration since last Thursday.