Bhopal: While considering a plea filed by an NRI MBBS graduate, who was asked to pay 4800 US dollars i.e Rs 4 lakh for getting her permanent MBBS degree, the principal bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur has issued notices to the State Government and Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University, Medical College Campus, Jabalpur.
As per the plea, each of the students is charged 75 INR as a fee for issuing a degree. However, shockingly, the concerned NRI student was asked to pay 4800 US dollars i.e Rs 4 lakh.
After taking note of the matter, the HC Division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravimalimath and Justice Vishal Mishra issued notices to the State and the Medical University.
The matter concerned Dr. Chouhan, who secured an MBBS seat under the NRI Quota at Indore-based MGM Medical College. After getting admitted to the said course in 2015, she consequently finished her studies in 2021.
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Following this, the petitioner applied immediately for a permanent degree of MBBS from the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University, Jabalpur. However, for this, she was charged a huge fee of around Rs 4 lakh. As per the latest media report by Free Press Journal, the counsel for the petitioner argued that the degree is the document that was earned by the petitioner after completing the 5-year MBBS course. Therefore, no one can deny her the degree by charging 4800 US dollars.
The counsel for the petitioner further contended that the exact fee of issuing degree is only 75 INR/ per student. However, the medical university was demanding a hefty fee from the petitioner. Referring to this, the petitioner's counsel claimed it to be nothing but illegal, and extortion from medical students.
As per the plea, fee has been demanded under different heads such as- 1000 USD for Library Fee, 1000 USD for Sports-cultural fee, 800 USD for Welfare Fund, 1000 USD for University Development, and 200 INR for the Provisional Degree fee.
Earlier this year, a Division bench of MP High Court issued notices to the MP Medical University and Medical Education Department of the State Government in a similar matter of levying high fees on NRI students or provisional MBBS degree, adds The Times of India.
Also Read: Rs 5000 fee for provisional, Rs 2000 for permanent degree now made free by MP Varsity, 2016 batch MBBS students demand similar relief