Senior Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC on Tuesday demanded the government immediately scrap affiliation of medical colleges that charge high fees for MD/MS courses and violate the fee ceiling.

“Medical colleges have indulged in black-marketing millions of rupees by taking exorbitant fees from students,” said Dr KC. He has staged a series of hunger strikes demanding reforms in medical education sector. He urged the government and concerned authorities to take action against such colleges.

As the new session begins, medical colleges have informed students to deposit an additional amount ranging from Rs1 million to Rs1.7 million.

Chitwan Medical College (CMC) in Bharatpur, Gandaki Medical College in Pokhara, Universal College of Medical Sciences & Teaching Hospital (UCMS) of Bhairahwa, National Medical College of Birgunj, People’s Dental College of Kathmandu and Nepal Army Institute of Health Sciences have flouted the fee ceiling set by the Tribhuvan University (TU).

Accusing the government of callous attitude towards the issue, the crusader said the government should immediately take action against the syndicate operating in medical colleges.“Illegal activities have been promoted due to the sheer negligence of the Ministry of Education which has taken the responsibility to control crime in entire education sector including medical,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday.“We want the government to immediately take action against the syndicate of medical colleges that indulges in black marketing,” the statement read.

He said black-marketing prevails in medical colleges under the protection of corrupt office bearers of TU.TU officers found guilty by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led panel should be immediately punished and suspended.Earlier on Monday, medical students staged protest in front of the Institute of Medicine (IoM) against exorbitant fees charged by medical colleges under the TU for MD/MS courses. Around 40 students from six private medical colleges from different parts of the country demanded the IoM take necessary steps against colleges that charge fees more than the university’s ceiling. The TU Executive Council on March 26 had reduced the total fee for degree course to Rs2.2 million from Rs3.1 million. It included tuition, along with admission, library, practicals and examination charges.

However, medical colleges have charged an additional up to Rs1.7 million under the headings library, practicals and examination fees.Medical colleges’ failure to comply with the fee structure set by the university compelled students to protest.Some medical colleges have approached the Supreme Court (SC), demanding it to revoke TU’s decision to reduce fees.The Universal College of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital (UCMS) in Bhairahwa on April 30 filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking revision of the TU decision to reduce MD/MS course fees.