No end in sight to woes of BDS students

KOCHI:  The woes of the first-year BDS students (2010-11 batch) remain unresolved. The students have been asked to pay Rs 15,000 as additional tuition fee for each supplementary paper. The first-year results were disappointing for the students, with 67 per cent of them failing as the university raised the minimum pass mark for theory from 45 per cent to 50 per cent. The results were out months ago but the students are yet to get their original marklists.The majority of students who have written the supplementary examinations said that they did not attend any tuition classes as they were uncertain about the results. This is in violation of Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) rules, they said.The KUHS notification clearly states that the change in the minimum pass mark is applicable only from 2011-2012 batch but nothing is clear. After the students moved court, the verdict directed the varsity to revise the results. But the case is now before the Supreme Court.Earlier, when the students complained about the additional tuition fee being collected for each subject, the university sent show-cause notices to such colleges and the authorities stopped collecting fee for a short period. But now students of some colleges have been asked to pay Rs 15,000 for each paper.Students have to pay Rs 45,000 for three papers.The notice of one such college states: “The following students are required to pay their additional fees (Rs 15,000 per subject) on or before April 23.”The list is long.Students said that they have been asked to pay the money although they have not attended any tuition class and that they were yet to get the marklist. "We paid Rs 200 for the marklist but we have not got it,” students said.When contacted, KUHS Registrar Dr Ipe Varghese said the university does not look into the issue of fees. However, we did issue a show-cause notice when students complained. Even in government colleges, an additional fee is collected as tuition fee for those writing supplementary examinations.On the marklist issue, he said it will take some time. There are many procedures such as tendering and security measures before printing certificates. It will take at least six  months, he said.