MBBS Admission in Maharashtra: While FRA slashes Tuition fee, Private Institutes increase additional charges
Mumbai: Despite the Fee Regulatory Authority's (FRA) decision of slashing the MBBS tuition fees from Rs 8.4 lakh to Rs 4.8 lakh, it is unlikely that the MBBS aspirants in Maharashtra will get any relief since the colleges have increased the additional charges by considerable amount.
After the private medical colleges uploaded their individual fee structure on their websites, it was revealed that the total fee structure in some of the colleges is almost double than the tuition and development fee approved by the FRA.
The list of such colleges includes Prakash Institute of Medical Science and Research in Sangli, Dr N Y Tasgaonkar Institute of Medical Science in Karjat, ACPM Medical College and Hospital in Dhule among others.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in a major relief to the MBBS aspirants in Maharashtra, the Fee Regulating Authority (FRA) of Maharashtra announced that MBBS fees in several private unaided medical colleges would remain unchanged. Further, the FRA had slashed the fees at Prakash Institute of Medical Sciences and Research by almost 40 per cent.
The decision for slashing the fees from Rs 8.4 lakh to Rs 4.8 lakh per annum at Prakash Institute was taken by the FRA after reviewing the expenditure document submitted by the institute last year.
FRA allowed a reasonable increase of fees ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh in some institutes that demanded increase. Meanwhile, six sought-after medical colleges in the State decided not to increase their fees.
Naturally, the announcement from FRA came as a major relief for the MBBS aspirants in Maharashtra because in order to pursue medical education at private medical colleges the students need to pay a hefty amount of money.
However, as per the latest media report by Indian Express, this relief was short lived since the colleges increased other charges by considerable amount. This happened because the FRA can only regulate the tuition and development fees, whereas the total fee structure of colleges include other heads such as money deposited for library, laboratory, hostel and mess, which includes charges and caution money.
Taking this into consideration, the individual fee structure of the colleges are generally expected to be higher than the fee structure announced by FRA. However, this year, the difference between these two fee structures is higher.
In case of Prakash Institute of Medical Science and Research, the total fees payable during admission is Rs 12.84 lakh, which is only slightly lower than the last year's Rs 14.16 lakh. The college has increased the caution money alone from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
Apart from this, the fees and deposit for hostel and mess have been increased as well. Instead of Rs 2.25 lakh, the students will now have to pay Rs 3.50 lakh for this purpose.
Referring to this, a parent told the daily, "Even as some of it is refundable, a parent must make preparation for the entire amount at the time of admission. From next academic year there will be relief, considering the reduction in tuition fee."
However, Prakash Institute is not alone because Dr. N Y Tasgaonkar Institute of Medical Science in Karjat has also increased the additional fees. While the FRA approved fees for this college is Rs 7 lakh, the total amount payable at the time of admission is Rs 16 lakh.
In case of SMBT Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre in Nashik's Igatpuri, the FRA approved fees is Rs 11.60 lakh, whereas the total amount payable at the time of admission is Rs 14.60 lakh.
At ACPM Medical College and Hospital in Dhule, FRA approved tuition and development fee is Rs 6.60 lakh whereas the students will have to pay Rs 10.53 lakh at the time of admission.
While commenting on this, a parent representative Sudha Shenoy told the daily, "Considering that the FRA only approves two components of the fee structure, some increase in overall fee structure is always anticipated. Parents are expected to make arrangements for additional Rs 2 lakh or so. But in some colleges the total fee structure is almost double than the tuition and development fee approved by the FRA. This upsets financial planning by parents, especially because colleges do not share their individual fee structure until late."
"Fees payable at the time of admission plays a major role in deciding the preference list of colleges to be filled in choice forms," she added.
