Bangalore: Dental course costs NRI dear

Bangalore: What was meant be a learning opportunity for a non-resident Indian (NRI) student turned out to be an expensive lesson for her as the lackadaisical attitude of a city-based dental college has resulted in the student losing an academic year. The college, which failed to get her the necessary clearance to appear for her exams, instead suggested that she could approach the court as they would not give her a refund as well.

A 20-year-old Gisha Palatty from Switzerland joined Dr B R Ambedkar Dental College under NRI-Management quota for Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course and paid Rs 16.6 lakh fee. She attended all the internal tests during her first year course, but when the main examination came near, the college denied hall ticket as it failed to get eligibility certificate from Switzerland and said the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health and Sciences (RGUHS) did not send the hall ticket for failing to produce the certificate.

They informed her they would arrange for the eligibility certificate within two months and on receipt of the certificate, she could attempt her first year BDS exams as repeater after six months. Later, she asked the college to return her original marks cards so that she could go back to Switzerland and study there, but the college refused to do so. Instead, it directed her to approach the court and get directions on return of original marks cards.

When the matter came before the High Court, Justice Ram Mohan Reddy observed, “How can the college and RGUHS do such things? Many students go abroad to study. But students who come from abroad to India, it should not act like this. The institutions have turned into money making business. RGUHS does not teach anything to the students. Doctors who study in these kind of institutions cannot do operations properly, if you say do the operation for right eye, they do it for left eye. The RGUHS charged Rs 1.5 crore to one of my friend’s son. This will never change for centuries,” and suggested the girl to approach the Consumer Court and take her fee back.

Hearing the petition, Justice Reddy issued emergent notices to RGUHS, Dr B R Amebedkar Dental College and Hospital and Dr B R Ambedkar Dental College in this regard.