IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) FRIDAY, THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE V.V.S.RAO WRIT PETITION No.23110 of 2005 Between: 1 Thatipalli Anurag S/o. Ramesh Babu R/o. B.C.140, Writers Basthi Kothagudem Khammam District. 2 K.Bhaskar Babu S/o. Veeraiah R/o.H.No.5-8-124/92/2, Sai Nagar, Sanga Reddy, Medak District. 3 P.Shivakumar S/o. Rajesham R/o. H.No.8-1-164, Rampur Karimnagar District. 4 Gundu Srinivas S/o. Veeraswamy R/o. H.No.17-5-200 Santosh Nagar Godavarikhani, Karimnagar. 5 Chelupuru Hiranmayi D/o. Hemkumar R/o. H.No.15-7-48 Ramannapet Warangal. 6 Thadishetti Swathi D/o. Lingamurthy R/o. H.No.9-1-156/2. Bhagatnagar, Karimnagar District. 7 Bhoopati Sowjanya Reddy D/o. Srinivas Reddy R/o. H.No. 10-2-868, Vidyanagar, Karimnagar District. 8 Koneru Sivachaitanya S/o. Sitaram Prasad R/o. H.No. 3-67-39 (new) Darshanagar Karimnagar District. 9 Potu Sirisha Pravardhini D/o. Keshava Reddy R/o. H.No. 1-8-64, Balasamudram Hanamkonda, Warangal District. 10 Bommakanti Kirthi Theja S/o. Karunakar R/o. Flat.No.304, Vijetha Heighs Lane, Beside Vijaya Daig. Dilsukhnagar Moosarambagh Hyderabad. 11 Chinta Srikanth S/o. Ramchander R/o.H.No.11-1-2/122 New N.G.O's Colony, Subashnagar Nizamabad. 12 P.Manasa D/o. Ashok R/o. C/o. Pulluri Kistaiah & Sons Main Road, Sircilla, Karimnagar District. 13 K. Somnath Gupta S/o. K.H.P.Gupta R/o. H.No.5-4-34, Court Road, Kamareddy, Nizamabad 14 S. Supriya D/o. Prasada Rao R/o.H.No.2-10-986 Jyothinagar Karimnagar District. 15 Thota Deepthi D/o. Prabhakar R/o. H.No.6-4-196 Machili Bazaar Hanamkonda Warangal District. 16 Poojary Sumalatha D/o. Sambaiah R/o.H.No.24-4-159 Nethaji Nagar, Durga, Kazipet Warangal District. 17 Nagavelli Bhavani D/o. Bhadraiah R/o. H.No.24-4-159, Nethaji Nagar, Darga, Kazipet Warangal District. 18 Arremreddy Asritha D/o. Raghavender Reddy R/o. H.No.1-8-505, Balasamudram, Hanamkonda Warangal District. 19 P.Ashwini Kishore S/o. Nandikishore R/o. H.No.6-2-77, Kakaji Colony Hanamkonda Warangal District. 20 K.Anand Kumar S/o. Komaraiah R/o. H.No.4-1-52, Kothur Jandah Hanamkonda Warangal District. 21 M.Samaradh S/o. Pulla Reddy R/o. H.No.15-1-39 Srinivasa Colony, Opp: M.G.M, Warangal. 22 M. Phanindranath Reddy S/o. Rami Reddy R/o. LIG 174, Samatha Nagar VUDA, Gajuwaka, Vizag. 23 T. Omprakash S/o. Kondaiah R/o. H.No.9-111, Chittoor Post and Mandal Adilabad District. 24 M. Deepak Kumar S/o. Chandramouli R/o.H.No.9/40, Lakshminagar Colony Road.No.1, Kothapeta Hyderabad. 25 K. Giya Madhuri D/o. Narsimha Rao R/o. H.No.9-4-107, Toli Chowk Hyderabad. 26 K.Gayatri D/o. Shankar R/o.H.No.12-30, Near Koneru, Temple Road Dharmapuri, Karimnagar District. 27 D. Anuradha D/o. Veereshalingam R/o. H.No.1-7-213, Bastewarpet Nirmal, Adilabad District. 28 M. Deepika D/o. Gangadhar R/o. H.No.1-7-1143 Rakasipet Bodhan Nizamabad District. 29 Ch. Harika D/o. Harikishan R/o. H.No. 1-7-213 Bastewarpet, Nirmal Adilabad District. 30 G. Naresh Kumar S/o. Dharmaraju R/o. H.no. 14-2-96 Venkateswara Colony 4th Line, Bhadrachalam Khammam District. 31 K. Mrinalini N. Rao D/o. Nageswar Rao R/o. H.No. 219/220, Road.No.1, Sathguru Plaza Apartments, Flat.No.101, West Marredpally, Secunderabad. 32 S. Mamatha D/o. Kashinatham R/o. Qr.No.663/A, B.H.E.L (Hyderabad) Medak District. 33 P.Keerthi Sree D/o. Narayana R/o.Qr.No. F/57, Market area, Mandamarri Adilabad District. 34 M.Zoya Kumari D/o. Adi Reddy R/o. Qr.No.C-10/51 PTS NTPC Post Jyothinagar Karimnagar District. 35 P.Sreedivya D/o.Narender R/o. H.No. Jyothinagar Karimnagar District. 36 K.Sirisha D/o. Narender R/o.Flat.No.407 Anjana Apartmants Water Tank Road Labbipet, Vijayawada. 37 K. Srinivas S/o. Balaram R/o. Edgi (Big) Village and post, Jukkal Mandal Nizamabad District. 38 P.Sampath Reddy S/o. Aga Reddy R/o.H.No.3-88/4. Vidyanagar Karimnagar District. 39 K.Ramakrishna Reddy S/o. Buchi Reddy R/o. Enkatala Village and post Momipet Ranga Reddy District. 40 Vollala Santosh S/o. Raghupathi Rao S/o. Sirsapally Village and Post Huzurabad Mandal Karimnagar District. 41 N.Pavan Kumar S/o. Viswanatham R/o.H.No.3-5-99/2 Shivanagar Colony Hyderguda Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad. 42 G.Sangeetha D/o. Bapureddy R/o.H.No.7-21/2, Shivalayam Street Ganeshnagar, Husnabad, Karimnagar District. 43 C.Sreedevi D/o. C. V. Jeevan Raju R/o.H.No.2-1-85/A, Pragathinagar, Peddapalli Karimnagar District. 44 K. Priyata D/o. Krishna Rao R/o. Lakkineni Vari Street, Near Balavidyanikethan School, Kalloor Post and Mandal Khammam District. 45 P.Radhika D/o. Prabhakar R/o.Qr.No.105, Prashanthnagar Colony Karimnagar District. 46 J.Shirisha D/o. Dr. Rajamouli R/o. H.No.1-7-387/2 Subedari Hanamkonda, Warangal District. 47 Uzma Tabasum D/o. M.A.Jaleel R/o. Qr.No.SID 394, Bhagath Singh Nagar Ramakrishnapur Adilabad District. 48 N. Sujatha D/o. N. Srinivas R/o. Udhavarpet Nirmal, Adilabad District. 49 T. Shalini D/o. Gourishankar R/o. H.No.5-6-20, Dwarakanagar Nizamabad District. 50 B.Sunitha D/o. Kishan R/o. H.No. 7-4-14, Madara Basthy, Kothagudem, Khammam District. 51 G.Sailaja D/o. Satyanarayana Reddy R/o. CID-6D, P.V.Colony, Manuguru Mandal Khammam District. 52 V.Srilakshmi D/o.Late Vishnuvardhan Rao R/o.H.No.17-1-391/S410, Plot.No.410 Singareni Colony, Saidabad, Hyderabad. 53 M.Sujani D/o. Srinivas Rao R/o. Plot.No.30/2, Road.No.14, Venkateshwara Colony Saroornagar Hyderabad. 54 P. Pranuthi D/o. Rajaratnam R/o. E.W.S.II-51, M.C.H. Colony, Parsigutta (West) Hyderabad. 55 P. Venkaramamurthy S/o. Krishna Murthy R/o. H.No.11-25-442, Kothawada Warangal. 56 B. Vemsheekrishna S/o. B. Ramaiah Shetty R/o. Plot.No.13/B, Krushi Nagar, G.B.I. Road, Bandhaguda, Hyderabad. 57 M.Venkatramana S/o. Dayashankar R/o.H.No.1-3-34, Old Bazar Brahminstreet Karimnagar. 58 P.Vijaykumar S/o. B. Satyanarayana R/o. Palmakur Rangareddy District. 59 P. Nageshkumar S/o. Seetharamulu R/o.H.No. 5-74, Wyra, Khammam. 60 P. Thirupathi S/o. Rajaiah R/o. Narsingapoor Village, Chandurthi Mandal Karimnagar District. 61 T. Goutham S/o. Venugopal R/o. H.No. 10-1-14 (new), Ramnagar Karimnagar District. 62 V. Sudheera Priyadarshini D/o. Rammohan Rao R/o. D.No.16-34-63/3b, Sambamurthy Nagar Kakinada. 63 G. Navoday S/o. Rajesham R/o. C/o. Bhagwan Medical Agencies, Thilak Road Karimnagar District. 64 A. Vijayendra S/o. Manmohan R/o. H.No.3-9-90, Kotapally Nizamabad District. 65 G.Vanitha Kumari D/o. Hanuma R/o. H.No.7-2-26/2, Dwaraka Nagar Post Khammam, Khammam District. 66 G. Swetha D/o. Umamaheshwar R/o. H.no.11-2-206/1, Sithafahmandi Secunderabad. 67 Neelesh Kumar Bohra S/o. Ramakishan Bohra R/o., C/o. Sai Balaji Enterprises, H.No.8-3-81, Old Beet Bazar, Warangal. 68 T. Sukshma D/o. Prabhakar R/o. Bommampally (V) Chigururu Mamidi (M). Karimnagar District. 69 B. Keerthi Reddy D/o. Venu Manohar Reddy R/o. H.No.22-2-22/5, D.D. Colony, Hyderabad. 70 Shwetha Reddy D/o. Ram Reddy R/o. Flat.No.607, Anandan Apartments Kukatpally, Hyderabad. 71 J.Radhika D/o. Late Satyanarayana Reddy R/o. Flat.No.404, Sai Residency, Ashok Nagar, Miryalaguda, Nalgonda District. 72 P.Sai Bhargavi D/o. Vijayasaradhi R/o. H.No.10-6-67/1-B, S.N.Murthy Thota, Mamillagudem, Khammam District. 73 A. Navatha D/o. Kumaraswamy R/o. Post: Lingapuram, Chennaraopet Mandal Warangal District. 74 M. Neelima D/o. Rathnaiah R/o. Opp: C.S.I. Church, Utnoor, Adilabad District. 75 Kabra Pankaj S/o. Purushotham Kabra R/o. H.No.1-4-971, Golconda X Roads, Musheerabad, Parthani Towers, Flat.No.201, Hyderabad. 76 K. Harishacharan S/o. Dashratham R/o. H.No.2-10-1209, Behind Court Building, Jyothingar Karimnagar. 77 D. Sumanth Chandra S/o. Narender Rao R/o. Gandhi Chowk, Nirmal Adilabad District. 78 E. Amruth Ram Reddy S/o. Narasimha Reddy R/o.H.No.6-18-90, Qr.No.60, Old NGO's Colony Subash Nagar Nizamabad District. 79 K. Santhosh Kumara Chary S/o. Shankara Charry R/o. Garshakurthy Village, Gangadhara Mandal Karimnagar District. 80 M.Ramakrishna Reddy S/o. Sriram Reddy R/o. Door.No.2-5-5p Hanamkonda, Warangal District. 81 K.Sridhar S/o. Babu Rao R/o. H.No.23-125/2/A, Ashok Nagar, BHEL, Hyderabad. 82 Ch. Shivashankar S/o. Venkateswarlu R/o.H.No.11-25-572, Kothawada Warangal. 83 D.Asha Devi D/o. Satyanarayana R/o.H.No.4-10-4, Kumarpally Hanamkonda Warangal District. 84 T. Satheesh S/o. Mallaiah R/o. H.No.1-5-200, Padmashali Street Bharat Talkies Road Karimnagar. 85 S.S.V.V.Narasinga Rao S/o. Satyanarayana R/o. H.No.39-25-32, Madhavadara Seethamma Gardens Visakhapatnam. 86 T.Indira Priyadarshini D/o. R/o. Plot.No.108, Tarakarama Nagar Colony, P.M.Palem Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam. 87 M. Hemalatha D/o. Laxminarayana Goud, R/o. H.No.3-4-89, Hanamkonda Street, Pedda Bazar Kamareddy, Nizamabad District. 88 Ch. Jhansi D/o. Kristafar R/o. Post: Shanigaram Kamalapur Mandal, Karimnagar District. 89 P. Sujatha D/o. Venkatnarsaiah R/o. Mogallapalli Post, Charla Mandal, Khammam District. 90 S. Mallikarjun Rao S/o. Narasimha Rao R/o. Solasa Post Nadendla Mandal Guntur District. 91 D.Raju S/o. Thirupathi R/o. Padmasri Community Health Hospital quarters Metpally Karimnagar District. 92 A. Prashanth S/o. Manaiah R/o. H.No.6-6-125/A, Shivajinagar, Sangareddy, Medak Dist. 93 P.Srikanth S/o. Mallesham R/o.H.No.4-32-322, Shapur Nagar, I.D.A. Jeedimetla Rangareddy District. 94 M.Rakesh Reddy S/o. Durga Reddy R/o. H.No.1-7-247, Revenue Colony Subedhari Hanamkonda, Warangal District. 95 S.V. Parvathisam S/o. Appa Rao R/o.D.No.39-22-10/2 Kalinganagar Madhava Dhara Vizag-7 96 M.Rakesh Reddy S/o. Durga Reddy R/o. H.No.2-5-405, Nakkalagutta Hanamkonda Warangal District. 97 P.Rahul S/o. Purushotham Rao R/o.H.No. 4-7-143/A, B, N.G.O's Colony Narsampet Warangal. 98 M.Ramulu S/o.Dharmaiah R/o. Sriramulapally Village, Namilikonda Post, Kodimyal Mandal, Karimnagar District. 99 L.Vjayakumar S/o. Veeranjaneyulu R/o.H.No.2-26, Near Shivalayam Huzurabad Karimnagar District. 100 Arzuman Nazeera D/o. Ahmed Saheed Khan R/o.H.No. 5-5-107, Near Old Bus Stand Sircilla, Karimnagar District. 101 M.A.Husheem S/o. Sharifabi R/o. H.No.2-3, L.B.Colony, Post: Mukthal, Mahabubnagar Dist. 102 B.Satishkumar S/o. Upender R/o. Power House Colony Near Shivalayam Godavarikhani Karimnagar District. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1 State of A.P. through Principal Secretary to Government Health, Medical & Family Welfare Dept., Secretariat Hyderabad. 2 The N.T.R. Health University rep. by its Registrar, Vijayawada. 3 Pratima Institute of Medical Sciences through its Chairman & Managing Director, R/o. H.No.6/3/3/252/2/6 Naveen Nagar, Erramanzil Hyderabad. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Aﬃdavit ﬁled herein the High Court will be pleased to issuing a Writ of Mandamus or any other suitable order or direction, a) declaring the action of the respondent Nos. 1 and 2 in not ensuring strict compliance of rules and regulations framed under Rule 11 of A.P Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges rules 1992 by respondent No.3 college and allowing it to collect excess amount every year from the petitioners as arbitrary, illegal, and unjust and contrary to law and consequently direct the respondent No.3 college to refund the excess amount collected from the petitioners as detailed in our notice dated 19-09-2005 and direct the respondent Nos. 1 and 2 to ensure refund of excess amount collected by respondent No.3. Counsel for the Petitioners: MR.BANKATLAL MANDHANI Counsel for the Respondent No.1: GP FOR MEDICAL HEALTH & FAMI.WELFARE Counsel for the Respondent No.2: MR.D.V.NAGARJUNA BABU Counsel for the Respondent No.3: MR.J.RAMACHANDRA RAO The Court made the following: THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE V.V.S.RAO WRIT PETITION No.23110 OF 2005 ORDER: Petitioners, who are 102 in number, are students of M.B.B.S. prosecuting their studies in Pratima Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS)–third respondent herein; which is aﬃliated to the N.T.R. University of Health Sciences–second respondent herein. All the petitioners were admitted to ﬁrst year M.B.B.S. in PIMS during academic year 2002-2003. Students admitted against free seats paid Rs.15,000/- per annum and students admitted against payment seats paid Rs.90,000/- per annum towards tuition fee. In addition to this petitioners statedly paid a sum of Rs.10,000/- (refundable) as caution deposit and another sum of Rs.30,000/- each under the head “fee other than tuition fee”. Having come to know about a letter addressed by Registrar of second respondent whereby and whereuner allegedly and purportedly PIMS and other private medical colleges were instructed not to collect any fee other than Rs.15,000/- and Rs.90,000/- per annum for free seats/payment seats respectively, petitioners got issued a legal notice dated 19.9.2005 calling upon the Chairman of PIMS to adjust excess amount paid or refund the same to petitioners, in vain. The writ petition is therefore ﬁled seeking a writ of Mandamus declaring action of respondents 1 and 2 in not ensuring strict compliance of Rules and Regulations framed under Andhra Pradesh Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges (Establishment, Management and Administration) Rules 1992, by PIMS as illegal, arbitrary and for a consequential direction to third respondent to refund excess amount collected from petitioners as mentioned supra. Respondents 1 and 2 unfortunately did not ﬁle any counter aﬃdavit. Though PIMS has ﬁled counter aﬃdavit through their counsel, unfortunately their counsel is absent. Be that as it is, in the counter aﬃdavit, collection of additional sum of Rs.30,000/- towards fee other than tuition fee is justiﬁed placing reliance on the decisions of Supreme Court in T.M.A. Pai Foundation v State of Karnataka [1], Islamic Academy of Education v State of Karnataka[2], P.A.Inamdar v State of Maharashtra [3] and a decision of this Court in C.Rajanidhar v Government of India[4]. This Court has heard learned Counsel for petitioners and learned Assistant Government Pleader for Medical and Health. Government of Andhra Pradesh issued G.O.Ms.No.225 Health & Medical and Family Welfare Department dated 16.6.2001. This order lays down guidelines with regard to revised fee structure for academic year 2001-2002 in Government/private medical and dental colleges in State of Andhra Pradesh. The order was preceded by the matter being referred to a committee consisting of Vice Chancellor of second respondent, Secretary to Government in Medical and Health Department and Director of Medical Education. Accepting the recommendations of said committee, Government prescribed the following fee structure for the students admitted to private medical/dental colleges for the academic year 2001-2002 and 2002-2003. I. MEDICAL COLLEGES FEE STRUCTURE PRESCRIBED 1) Private Medical Colleges: a) Free seats Rs.15,000/- p.a. b) Payment Seats: i) Colleges having own Hospital Rs.90,000/- p.a. ii) Colleges partly depend upon Govt. and partly on their own Hospitals Rs.70,000/- p.a. iii) Colleges fully depend upon Government Hospitals Rs.60,000/- p.a. II. DENTAL COLLEGES 1) Private Dental Colleges: a) Free seats Rs. 9,000/- p.a. b) Payment seats Rs.57,000/- p.a. Second respondent issued schedule at the time of admissions for the academic year 2002-2003. In this, University prescribed tuition fee of Rs.15,000/- per annum for free seats and Rs.90,000/- per annum for payment seats for M.B.B.S. course. In addition to this, University also prescribed “fee other than tuition fee” payable by candidate seeking admission into private medical/dental college in a sum of Rs.30,000/-. Presumably for this reason, PIMS collected Rs.30,000/- each from petitioners. Learned Counsel for petitioners relies on a letter of the Registrar dated 07.10.2002 addressed to all the members of all private medical and dental colleges of Andhra Pradesh. While making reference to G.O.Ms.No.225, dated 16.6.2001, Registrar instructed Managements of private medical colleges not to collect any fee or deposit of any kind from students except hostel and mess fee. From this, it is contended that collection of Rs.30,000/- towards fee other than tuition fee is improper. This Court however is not able to accept the submission that if the Registrar wanted medical colleges not to collect Rs.30,000/-, it ought to have been mentioned specifically. Though a reference was made to G.O. Ms.No.225, dated 16.6.2001, Registrar did not speciﬁcally instruct medical colleges not to collect Rs.30,000/- towards fee other than tuition fee. Thus the said communication does not help petitioners. In C.Rajanidhar (supra), this Court considered similar question as to whether collection of a sum of Rs.27,000/- per annum towards special fee by private medical college is valid. Petitioners prayed for similar relief seeking declaration that action of Government in not ensuring strict compliance with Government Order is illegal. This Court while rejecting plea laid down as under. Under the above circumstances and in view of the Judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Unni Krishnan J.P. v State of A.P. [5] and of this Court in the case of Romini Susan Kurian v State [6] and a Full Bench Judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case of Indu Gupta v Director, Sports, Punjab, Chandigarh[7] and also in view of the observations made by the Apex Court in the case of Institute of Human Resources Development v T.R. Ramesh Kumar[8], it has to be held that the respondent-Medical college being a private unaided medical college, it can collect other fee over and above the tuition fee as the collection of the said fee is for providing the infrastructural facilities and also for other special conveniences for the welfare and beneﬁt of the students community at large which are not covered under the subject curriculum. It is not the case of the petitioners that by collecting the said fee, the respondent-medical college is commercializing the education and that it is not using for their welfare and that the respondent medical College is not providing medical education with good standards. There is yet another reason for not accepting writ petition. Petitioners no doubt issued legal notice to PIMS but they did not make speciﬁc demand on respondents 1 and 2 seeking appropriate action under the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions & Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act 1983, against PIMS, who was allegedly issued instructions by Government in G.O.Ms.No.225, dated 16.6.2001. Liberty is reserved to petitioners to do so. The writ petition is therefore dismissed. No costs. ______________ (V.V.S.RAO,J) November 14, 2008 YS To 1 The Principal Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh, Health, Medical & Family Welfare Dept., Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Registrar, N.T.R. University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada. 3 Two CCs to Government Pleader for Medical, Health and Family Welfare, High Court Buildings, Hyderabad (OUT). 4 Two CD copies. [1] (2002) 8 SCC 481 [2] (2003) 6 SCC 697 [3] (2005) 6 SCC 537 [4] 2003(1) ALT 421 [5] AIR 1993 SC 2178 [6] AIR 1992 AP 380 [7] AIR 1999 P&H 319 [8] AIR 1995 SC 1587