Punjab Medicos to protest over fee hike, Rs 20 lakh bond

Patiala: The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Government Medical College, Patiala, along with the Medical Student Association (MSA), Punjab, have expressed outrage over the Punjab Government’s latest corrigendum issued on June 13, 2025.

The notification announced a hike in MBBS and BDS course fees and imposed a Rs. 20 lakh service bond for the academic session 2025-26, sparking protests from the medical fraternity in the state.

The student community has condemned the decision as unjust and harmful to aspiring doctors, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds. RDA Patiala termed the move “deeply hurtful” and questioned the government’s priorities in making medical education less accessible.

In response to the development, members of the Medical Student Association, Punjab, met with Punjab Medical Education Minister Dr. Balbir Singh at Government Medical College, Amritsar, on Friday to report their protest. During the meeting, students voiced their concerns regarding the financial and emotional burden the corrigendum places on medical aspirants and demanded an immediate rollback of the fee hike and bond condition.

One of the interns working in a government medical college stated, “So the resident doctors have been on strike; meanwhile, we, intern doctors, also demanded an increase in stipend and a decrease in MBBS fee. The interns resumed work as authorities stated that after the Ludhiana elections, they will address their issues. Amidst all this trouble, they issued a new notice regarding bond service. So, the interns and residents will jointly hold a protest all over the state. Our state has a significantly lower stipend than the neighbouring state, and the MBBS fee is almost significantly higher. ”

Previously, Medical Dialogues reported that the Punjab Government has introduced a new bond policy for students getting enrolled into the MBBS and BDS courses in the State-run medical and dental colleges to tackle the shortage of doctors in government health institutes. Under the new bond policy, which will come into force from the academic session 2025-2026, students getting admitted to government medical/dental institutes will either have to serve in government healthcare facilities for two years after completing their courses or pay a bond penalty of Rs 20 lakh.

In a press release, RDA of GMC Patiala stated, “With fees soaring to Rs. 2.49 lakh annually for government quota students and a whopping Rs. 14.94 lakh for private management quota, while we scrape by on a measly Rs. 15,000 stipend, the lowest in the region, it feels like the government is stomping on our dreams. We’ve begged for a meeting with the authorities, but they’ve turned a deaf ear, leaving us no choice but to fight back. Rumors are swirling that MD/MS fees and bonds will skyrocket too, with stipends staying pitiful. This isn’t just unfair—it’s a betrayal. We demand the government scrap these policies and listen to us before we’re buried under debt and despair. We’ve been protesting on the streets and even tried reaching out to the government for a dialogue, but they’ve ignored us completely.”

“We’ve knocked on every door, including a recent meeting with the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, where we and our interns laid bare the truth: Punjab has the highest fees and the lowest stipends. The government still won’t budge. Whispers are growing that MD/MS fees and bonds will spike even more, with stipends staying stagnant, fueling our ongoing protests. We’re not just numbers—we’re young doctors and students pouring our hearts into serving Punjab, only to be met with indifference. The RDA demands the immediate rollback of this corrigendum and a fair sit-down with Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh. Our protests will continue, and we urge the public, media, and national health bodies to stand wiith us,” the association further added.