Stop fleecing students or face action, Baba Farid University tells college

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, December 18

Taking cognisance of The Tribune story on students being fleeced by Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot, the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has asked the college management to either stop fleecing students or face action.

Hostel facility not compulsory

The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences notice states that it’s not compulsory for students to live in the college hostel. It further states that if a student is an adult, he/she can take care of himself. Selected students can’t be forced to pay for hostel if they do not want to stay there.

The Tribune in a story carried in these columns on Friday highlighted that the college was ‘fleecing’ MBBS students by charging exorbitant hostel fee.

In a notice issued to the principal of the college on Saturday, the Registrar of the BFUHS, Dr Nirmal Ouseppachan, said, “You did not take care of the instructions of the university vide notice dated December 2 posted on the website.”

The management has been directed “to stop the malpractice in the college, failing which the university would be constrained to take strict action against the college as it deems fit”.

The notice further instructed the principal not to charge excessive fee as mentioned against the fee charged by Chintpurni Medical College as it amounts to gross violation of instructions of the BFUHS and the Punjab Government. The notice made it clear that it can’t be made compulsory for students to live in hostel.

“If a student is an adult, (in case of a minor pupil, the decision making power is with parents) he/she can take care of himself. Provisionally selected students cannot be forced to pay for hostel charges if they do not want to stay there. The hostel facility is not compulsory.”

However, an affidavit can be obtained from candidates/their parents that the responsibility of any misconduct outside the premises of the institute would be the sole responsibility of the candidates/parents, the notice stated.

The notice raised another issue regarding students being forced to buy the study material and books from the college only. “It is the discretion of students to arrange/buy books to attend the college,” the notice said.