Chitwan, July 9

Students of Chitwan Medical College today staged a demonstration accusing the college of charging students more fee than the amount fixed by Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine in Bharatpur, Chitwan.

Students of MBBS first, second and third year participated in the demonstration. They complained that the college administration did not provide them the receipt of the extra fees they charged and also that the college asked the students to pay the fees in cash.

Students staged the rally on the premises of the medical college shouting slogans and demanding that the college return the additional fees taken form them.

MBBS second year student Karan Chaudhary said of the Rs 4.2 million fixed by the government, he initially paid Rs 2.1 million and paid Rs 6 lakh in cash at the time of admission without receipt. According to Chaudhary, though they had already paid Rs 2.7 million, the college had sought additional amount of Rs 2.7 million.

Agitating students accused the college of charging additional fee ranging from Rs 1.2 to 1.5 million than what was fixed by the government. TU Institute of Medicine had fixed Rs 4.2 million fee for MBBS. However, the college is charging additional fee unlawfully without providing receipt to the students.

MBBS third year student Rubin Sah bemoaned that the college had done injustice to them. “We are staging protest against injustice,” he said.

IoM had fixed Rs 2,500 for supplementary exam fee. “However, the college is charging Rs 5,000,” Sah said. He said that the agitation would not stop until their demands were addressed.

Earlier, following the students’ protest, the Ministry of Education had directed the medical college to return the extra money taken from students on March 21.  But the college did not heed the directive issued by the ministry.

The college charges double the fee fixed by the government under various headings such as examination, internship, registration, library, field visit and development, said students.

When THT tried to talk to Director of CMC Dr Dayaram Lamsal, he refused to comment on the issue and told THT to talk to Principal Arun Koirala. Koirala,

however, could not be contacted. Manager Paras Adhikari said that he was not aware of the agitation.