NEET UG 2026: MBBS Fees Surge at Deemed Universities, Cross Rs 1 Crore at 46 Medical Colleges - Video

The cost of pursuing MBBS through deemed universities has risen sharply for NEET UG 2026 aspirants, with two Tamil Nadu colleges seeing fee increases of up to 363% after recently receiving deemed-university status. Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College, Perambalur, has raised its annual MBBS fee to ₹24 lakh from ₹5.4 lakh for state-quota seats, while Srinivasan Medical College, Tiruchirappalli, now charges ₹25 lakh, compared with ₹5.4 lakh earlier. An analysis of 62 deemed-university medical colleges found that 46 institutions now have total MBBS costs exceeding ₹1 crore, eight more than last year.

The overall cost includes tuition and other institutional charges but excludes hostel and mess fees. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER), Chennai, remains the country’s costliest, with the total MBBS programme cost reaching ₹1.58 crore after its annual fee rose to ₹35 lakh. Overall, 41 of 59 reviewed colleges increased their fees for 2026-27, with hikes ranging from below 1% to 29%. While deemed universities generally charge the same fees irrespective of category, the sharp rise has renewed concerns over the growing cost of medical education and the financial burden on NEET UG 2026 aspirants, according to a careers360 news report.