PMT fees yet to be reimbursed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 29 2013:
Exam fees collected from aspiring MBBS/BDS students for this year's PMT are yet to be reimbursed although the PMT was aborted at the 11th hour.
After the test was aborted, the Medical Director went on record that the exam fees collected from students would be reimbursed.
However, sources in Medical Directorate said no official procedure has been initiated till date for reimbursement of exam fees.
Notably, the State Government, after aborting the State PMT, decided to select MBBS/BDS nominees from the merit list of NEET conducted by CBSE.
Health Director Dr A Bijoy at a press meet held in the office chamber of Education Minister and Government spokesman M Okendro on June 7 this year announced that exam fees collected from the aborted PMT candidates would be reimbursed.
Altogether 5756 candidates collected forms for the PMT scheduled on June 9 but aborted at the 11th hour.
The Directorate of Medical and Health Services collected Rs 40 lakh in the form of exam fee from students who were not given any opportunity to give the entrance test.
Director A Bijoy stated that Rs 23 lakh was used in preparing for the aborted test out of Rs 40 lakh collected from students.
In spite of the Director's assurance, no procedure has been initiated till date to reimburse the exam fees.
Some staff of the Directorate have been facing hard times responding to candidates and parents who came asking for the exam fee.
If the exam fees should be reimbursed, the Director should send a proposal to the Government after which due procedures should be initiated.
However, as of now, no such procedure has been initiated.
Incidentally, the Director who promised to reimburse the exam fee is set to retire in February.
It is not clear whether the new Director would take the pain of reimbursing the exam fee collected during the tenure of his/her predecessor.
Form for the aborted exam cost Rs 200 each.
Submission fee for ST/SC candidates was Rs 300 each and Rs 600 each for OBC and general candidates.
It is said that there is no such rule which says that exam fees collected for MBBS/BDS entrance test should be reimbursed in case the same is not conducted.
There are also no clear guidelines/rules regarding to which head the amount collected would go or how it should be utilised.
Yet, utilisation of the amount collected from form submission started about two months or 45 days ahead of the exam date.
Nevertheless, reimbursement of fees collected for an aborted exam is logical and is in line with natural justice.
That was why, the Director promised to reimburse the amount.
But the problem is, from which head (of fund) the amount would be reimbursed.
If this is the case, the only option is contribution by relevant officials from their pockets, the sources said.