Kochi: The Kerala High Court ordered that the National Medical Commission’s decision to charge fee of government-run medical colleges for the 50 per cent of merit seats in institutions run by private managements need not be followed in Kerala.

The NMC on February 3 had ordered to charge only the government fee for merit seats in the private medical colleges. Kerala Christian Professional College Management Federation, Kerala Private Medical College Management Association approached the HC against the order.

While granting relaxation on fee, justice Devan Ramachandran asked the associations to follow other regulations of the NMC. The court noted that after the passing of Kerala Medical Education (Regulation and Control of Admission to Private Medical Educational Institutions) Act, 2017, there is no distinction of merit or management seats.

The Entrance Commissioner is controlling the allotment process. It will be arbitrary and discriminatory if the NMC order is implemented, the court noted.

Kerala had ended the different fee structure in merit and management quota and implemented a unified fee, decided by the Fee Regulatory Committee for Professional Colleges, headed by retired justice R Rajendra Babu. They decide on the fee after evaluating the expense to run the college.