Educationpatra, Kathmandu. Students of Lumbini Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Palpa, Nepal, have taken to the streets to voice their grievances, calling for the reimbursement of extra fees imposed by the college. The protests come as students’ express dissatisfaction with the institution’s failure to refund internship and additional fees. Additionally, they are demanding an increase in the internship stipend.
The agitation primarily involves MBBS students who were admitted in the academic year 2074. At the time of enrollment, the college levied an internship fee of NPR 200,000, a university affiliation fee of NPR 95,800, a class promotion fee of NPR 75,000, and a university examination fee of NPR 42,000. These charges were collected alongside the tuition fee of NPR 4,790,000.
Initially, the college had proposed adjusting all fees after the intervention of the Medical Education Commission. As per the agreement, NPR 4,790,000 was deducted, leaving a balance of NPR 4,245,000. However, the excess fees collected by the college were not accounted for or adjusted accordingly.
With students now preparing for their internships following the MBBS exams, they are demanding a refund of the previously imposed additional fees. Regrettably, the college has taken a firm stance, refusing to refund the fees under any circumstances.
For the past six days, approximately 50 students have been engaged in peaceful protests, drawing attention to their concerns from the Medical Education Commission. One student shared their experience, highlighting that the same excessive fees were charged to their junior batch (2075) and themselves (2074). Despite repeated attempts to resolve the matter through discussions with the college administration, their pleas fell on deaf ears.
Internships for the final-year students, who recently passed their exams between March and May, were scheduled to commence on June 5th. However, the students remain resolute, asserting that they will withhold their participation in the internships until the excessive fees are reimbursed.
The ongoing protests shed light on the issue of fee transparency and fairness within Lumbini Medical College, affiliated with Kathmandu University. The students’ determination to secure a refund serves as a rallying cry for accountability and justice in the realm of medical education.
