Karnataka Private Medical Colleges demand 30 to 35 percent fee hike for MBBS, BDS courses

Bengaluru: Referring to the financial crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic, the self-financing medical and dental colleges in Karnataka are planning to place a proposal before the State Government to increase the fees.

The colleges are demanding a hike in the government and institutional quota MBBS and BDS fee by 30% to 35% for the academic year of 2022-23. To discuss this issue, the government is planning to hold a meeting with the management of private and dental college on Monday, i.e. August 22.

Apart from the issue regarding the MBBS and BDS fee, the colleges are also planning to have a discussion regarding the seat sharing i.e. the sharing of seat between the government and private medical colleges and deemed-to-be universities.

Regarding the MBBS fees, earlier this year, the Apex medical body NMC had directed all the private medical colleges and deemed-to-be Universities to charge fees at par with the government medical colleges for the 50% of the total seats.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in the concerned Fee order issued back in February 2022, NMC had clarified that the fees of 50 per cent seats in the private medical colleges would be at par with government medical colleges of that particular State/UT.

"After extensive consultations, it has been decided that the fee of the 50 per cent seats in the private medical colleges and deemed universities should be at par with the fee in the government medical colleges of that particular State and UT. The benefit of this fee structure would be first made available to those candidates who have availed government quota seats, but are limited to the extent of 50 per cent of the total sanctioned strength of the respective medical college/deemed university," NMC had mentioned in the notification.

"However, if the government quota seats are less than 50 per cent of total sanctioned seats, the remaining candidates would avail the benefit of a fee equivalent to the government medical college fees, based purely on the merit," NMC had added.

Although such a policy is definitely a good news for the medical aspirants, the private medical colleges were upset with the order. After approaching the Union Health Ministry, they had filed a plea before the Madras High Court, which had reserved its order.

The NMC fee order has not been implemented in Karnataka yet. On the other hand, there is a consensual agreement between the State government and the private medical and dental colleges to increase the MBBS and BDS fee from 15% to 25% on yearly basis.

Also Read: Karnataka to Categorize Private Medical Colleges, Reduce MBBS Fees

However, for the last two years, the fees were not increased. Although speculations were being made that the fees would be increased by 15% in the Government seats and 25% in the private seats, Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that providing relief to the medical and dental aspirants, the State decided not to increase the fees for this academic year.

In case of Karnataka, although the seat ratio has been fixed at 40:60, it does not get strictly followed few medical colleges who admit more students in the management category for higher fees.

Referring to these issues, the Director of the Directorate of Medical Education, Dr. B.L. Sujatha Rathod told The Hindu, "NEET-2022 result will be announced soon and the counselling will be started around the second week of the month of September. Last two years there was no fee hike. This year, private medical and dental colleges are placing some new demand. Therefore, we are holding a meeting on August 22. At the same time, we will also discuss the consensual agreement on the seat sharing."

Referring to the impact of the pandemic over the finances of the private medical and dental institutes, Dr. M.R. Jayaram, honorary secretary of Karnataka Private Medical and Dental Colleges Association, said, "The finances of medical college managements were hit during the pandemic. Many college managements also complained that due to the effect of the pandemic during the last two years they sold the NRI quota and management quota seats for lower prices compared to the previous years. We are requesting the State government to hike the fee of government and institutional quota MBBS and BDS seats significantly to tide over this crisis."

Also Read: Madras HC reserves order on plea challenging NMC Fee order