The AP government is likely to earmark 75 % of the seats in private medical colleges for the open category and the remaining 25 % as management quota. Health Minister Dr Sivaprasada Rao had discussions with the managements of 11 colleges on Thursday on the seats quota and the fee structure. Dr Rao insisted that the management quota should be fixed at 25 % which was the system prevailing in states like Karnataka and Kerala. He said the management should also follow the reservation policy and other regulations in the admission process.

According to some management sources, they wanted 75 % of seats for them and also the final say in the fee structure. There are about 1,200 seats in private medical colleges in the state. Since the meeting ended in a stand-off, the government will hold another round of talks with the college managements on May 10.

At present, the management quota is only 15 %. The management's proposal to reserve 75 % of seats for them was not acceptable to the Minister. The Minister also took the stand that the fee structure could not be left totally to the discretion of private managements since the government had been empowered by the Supreme Court to play a regulatory role.

Rejecting the managements' plea that they fell under the category of unaided colleges, the Minister said the government had an important role to play in their functioning. Dr Rao asked the officials to study the pattern in Karnataka and Kerala regarding the quotas and the fee structure and submit their report at the next meeting on May 10.