Mumbai: The medical education authorities in Maharashtra on September 12 stayed admission process to various medical courses following strong protest by students over exorbitant fees in private educational institutions.

"We have stayed the admission process in view of the protest by students," the joint director of medical education Dr Wasudev Tayade, who is also the competent authority for the admission process, said.

"We have also requested the Mumbai High Court to grant us seven days' period to sort out the fee issue," Tayade said.

The admission process for various medical courses had begun on September 11 following a directive to that effect from the Mumbai High Court on September 8.

The court had then ordered the authorities to accept only 60 per cent of the fees from the student community.

However, students continued their protest over the high fees, ranging from Rs 3.40 lakh to Rs 3.80 lakh per annum against the 2002 annual fee of Rs 1.46 lakh.

"As the protests would continue till restructure of the educational fees, we decided to stay the admission process," Tayade said.

"The admission process had begun on a high court directive, so we have also approached the court seeking a week's period to resolve the matter," Tayade said.

Earlier in the day, nearly 199 students sought admissions to various medical courses, he informed.

The admission process was later stalled for some time by agitating activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS), Minister of state for Medical Education Suresh Shetty said.

Finally Tayade, following discussions with higher officials, announced the decision to stay the admission process.

In a related development, a delegation of Sena leaders sought the intervention of the Governor Mohammed Fazal in the matter. The delegation, led by Sena leader Raj Thackeray, called on Fazal, who is also the chancellor of all universities across the state.

Fazal said he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister, Sena sources said.

PTI