CM Pinarayi Vijayan ready for probe into self financing medical colleges

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered a Vigilance probe into the allegations that some self-financing medical colleges were demanding capitation fees for admissions. He, however, rejected the Opposition’s demand to reduce the fees at Pariyaram medical college.

“The Vigilance will probe into the reports in a section of media regarding the demand of capitation fees by a college. The Opposition may also hand over any information in this regard to the government,” the chief minister told the Assembly on Friday while replying to the notice for an adjournment motion given by Mr V.T. Balram, Congress.

Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also tabled the audio transcripts of a conversation by a self-financing medical college official demanding capitation fees. Health Minister K K Shailaja Teacher told the Assembly that the government could not firmly say that no self-financing managements were demanding bribes. But so far no such complaints had come to the notice of the government.

She also said that the state government would move the Supreme Court against the high fees being collected by three colleges that did not sign an agreement with it. Meanwhile, despite repeated pleas by former chief minister Oommen Chandy to reduce the fees at Pariyaram Medical College, Mr Pinarayi Vijayan remained adamant on his stand that no fee relaxation could be made as it was already facing acute fiscal problems