Thiruvananthapuram: Medical admission in Kerala is likely to be caught in a legal tangle as the state government has decided to go ahead with the admission process ignoring objections raised by the managements of self-financing colleges over fees. Meanwhile, the new fee structure is expected to be published next month.

The government was planning to conduct the admission on the basis of the previous year's fees but get a bond from students saying that they will pay the new fee once it is fixed by the fee regulatory committee.

However, the previous year's fee structure was scrapped by the high court citing technical errors in the proceedings. Besides, it was only on Saturday that the government issued a notification to reconstitute the fee regulatory committee.

The self-financing college managements said that the government is asking them to go-ahead with the admission process on the basis of 'nonexistent' fees and they will approach the court the next day itself.

Meanwhile, the talks the health minister had planned to hold with the private medical managements association on Wednesday have been advanced to Monday. However, the association secretary said they will move court despite the scheduled talks.

Kerala Christian Professional College Management Federation coordinator P J Ignatius said that they too will move court. The federation has not been called for the talks.

The self-financing medical college managements say that if they follow the government order now, it will be difficult to collect the fees later. The last year's fee structure that was scrapped by the court stood between Rs 5.32 lakh and Rs 6.53 lakh.

At the same time, if there is an agreement on fees during the talks, students will be able to know it before allotment, said health department officials. The principal secretary-health who has to supervise the admission process is abroad now.

New fees within a week

The government has issued a notification setting up a five-member fee regulatory committee and a six-member admission supervisory committee headed by Justice R Rajendra Babu. The committee members said that they will fix the new fee structure within a week.

Both the committees were reconstituted with fewer members on the basis of an amendment to the law.

Option till July 6, allotment 7

Applications for the first allotment of options in MBBS, BDS and related courses, and second allotment of options in engineering, architecture and pharmacy degree course have been invited. Options can be submitted until July 6 morning. Allotments will be done by July 7 evening. Students can start paying the fees between July 8 and 12. Students have to secure admission before 3 pm on July 12. The allotments for ayurveda, homoeo and siddha courses will be done later.