New agreement on SFMC fees signed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nullifying the earlier two agreements, the Self- Financing Medical Colleges and the State Government have entered into a third agreement on Saturday.According to the new agreement, reached between the 11-member Kerala Private Medical College Management Association and the Government, the fees for 35 percent merit quota seats has been increased from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs.  5.95 lakh.However, the managements had agreed to provide the reduced fees of Rs. 1.38 lakh to 15 percent seats for the BPL students and students from low-income group and 10 percent in community quota seats. The fees for five percent seats in scheduled caste quota will be decided by the Mohammed Committee. The fees for the NRI quota will be Rs nine lakh.Sources said that there was a rift between various managements where some wanted Rs. 4.5 lakh for 65 percent seats apart from the 15 percent NRI quota and 20 percent seats for BPL students. In these seats, managements were also ready to provide the fees, fixed now. The discussion was held in the presence of Health Minister Adoor Prakash.