Hefty fees for original degree certificates irk Kaloji medicos

Hyderabad: Kaloji University's recent notification to issue permanent original degree certificate for PG Degree/Diploma and MDS after collecting a hefty fee has drawn flak from medicos, who completed studies in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The university has fixed Rs 6,600 as the charge for issuing original degree certificate much to the shock of junior doctors.

Neighbouring southern States are collecting fee much lesser compared to Telangana, according to doctors. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the fee fixed is Rs 3,000 while in Karnataka it is Rs 2,000 and Kerala Rs 1,050.

A junior doctors' delegation met Health Secretary SAM Rizvi and brought this issue to his notice. Two weeks passed since medicos met officials, but no decision has been taken as yet. PG completed medicos say Kaloji University was just exploiting the students with high charges.

Nearly 900 doctors from 2018 and 2019 batches can avail for the original degree certificate now while other 1,100-odd doctors from the 2020 passed out batch have to wait for two more months to apply for their certificates. However, they have been told to wait for some more time until the exorbitant fee is reduced like in neighbouring States.

Dr Mohammed Jahangir, ex vice-president of T JUDA urged the authorities to roll back the fees.

He said that Kaloji University, which was formed in 2016, delayed issuing of degree certificate for 2016-2018 batch PG Diploma holders and 2016-2019 PG MD degree holders. After this wait, now they are being asked to pay fees that is two to three times higher than fee being collected in neighbouring States.

"Even for the 2017-20 PG batch which wrote exams in June, the fee was enhanced by Rs 2,000 for each student. Now again we are being made to shell out more money," he said.

The reason for increased charges, as told to doctors, was that Kaloji was facing a shortage of funds and hence the reason to increase fees for various categories.