MBBS fees only for 4.5 years, refund excess: Telangana Fee Regulatory Committee warns private medical colleges

Hyderabad: Taking note of mounting complaints that some private medical colleges in Telangana were demanding five years' tuition fees from MBBS students, the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) has clarified that medical colleges can charge tuition fees only for the 4.5-year academic course and not for the one-year compulsory internship.

The committee clarified that the MBBS academic programme runs for 4.5 years, or nine semesters, followed by a one-year compulsory internship. Since the internship does not involve academic teaching, colleges cannot collect tuition fees for that period.

In a stern warning to private medical colleges, TAFRC directed the colleges that have already collected tuition fees for the fifth year to refund the excess amount to the concerned students immediately.

It has also clarified to the institutions that the fee fixed by this committee for entire MBBS course which is spread over 4.5 years and divided into 9 semesters, to reduce the burden on the students, the same is divided into five equal instalments for 4.5 year course.

Clarification on Tuition Fee Structure

In a letter to the Secretary/Correspondent of Private Minority & Non-Minority Medical Institutions, Telangana, dated August 14, 2026, the committee said it had received several complaints alleging that private medical colleges were forcing MBBS students to pay fees for all five years, treating the internship year as chargeable like the rest.

The complaints also alleged that students who failed to pay the demanded amount were being stopped from attending classes, denied examination hall tickets, blocked from marking biometric attendance and restricted from entering college campuses.

"With reference to the above cited, it is brought to the notice of this office that the certain medical institution are pressuring the students admitted to the MBBS Course during the block period commencing from 2020 onwards to pay the tuition fee for the entire duration of five (05) years. It is also brought to the notice of this office that certain medical institutions are not permitting students to attend classes unless they pay the tuition fee for the entire five-year course. It is also reported that some institutions are withholding examination hall tickets, preventing biometric attendance, restricting students from entering the institutions and threatening or pressuring the students and their parents to pay the tuition fee for the entire five-year period," the letter mentioned.

The Fee Regulation Committee also said that the managements of medical colleges were collecting amounts towards student stipends without actually disbursing them, and some colleges are paying the stipend but forcing students to return stipend amounts either partially or fully after payment.

"Some of the medical students have represented to this office that certain medical institutions are collecting amounts towards stipend from the students without actually disbursing the prescribed stipend to them. Further, some of the institutions are paying stipend to the students and, thereafter, allegedly collecting the said stipend amount, either in full or in part, back from the students," the Committee said in the letter adding that such practices, if established, are a matter of serious concern. If the allegations are found to be true, TAFRC will take stringent action against the institutions.

The Committee further said the government had notified the MBBS tuition fee structure for the 2021-2023 block period in which the total fee for the 4.5-year course must be collected in five instalments at the beginning of each academic year and that the fee structure would remain applicable to students admitted during the 2021-2023 block period until they complete the course.

It added that the same had already been clarified to private medical institutions through a letter dated November 16, 2025, and a press note issued on June 26, 2024.

"It is also clarified to the institutions that the fee fixed by this committee for entire MBBS course which is spread over 4.5 years and divided into 9 semesters, to reduce the burden on the students, the same is divided into five equal instalments for 4.5 year course. The NMC also clarified it in April, 2026 directing medical colleges to charge tuition fees only for 4.5 year academic period and not for the internship year, since internship does not constitute academic teaching," the letter stated.

NMC directive

Medical Dialogues had reported that the NMC in its April 7, 2026 notice directed all medical colleges to charge fees only for the prescribed academic duration of four and a half years after noting that certain medical colleges under its purview are charging fees for the entire duration of five years or five and a half years from the MBBS students.

"It has been brought to the notice of the National Medical Commission (NMC) that certain Medical Colleges / Institutions / Universities, under the purview of NMC, are charging fees for the entire duration of five (5) years or five and a half (5½) years from the MBBS students. Such practices are not consistent with the prescribed academic structure of the MBBS programme and result in charging fees for periods which do not constitute academic teaching," the notice read.

The Commission also warned that non-compliance would lead to appropriate action under existing statutory and regulatory provisions against such colleges.

Drawing the attention of the medical colleges, institutions and universities to Section 10 and Section 24 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and the Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) Guidelines, 2024 framed under the Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER), the Commission stated that these provisions clearly state that the duration of the MBBS course comprises 4½ years (54 months) of academic study, followed by one (01) year of compulsory rotating internship (CRMI).

The Commission further referred to the interim directions issued by the Supreme Court of India in the case of Abhishek Yadav v. Union of India, where concerns such as non-payment of stipends and the imposition of internship-related charges or fees were examined and taken seriously.

Breakdown of fees

Giving examples of the fee calculation, TAFRC mentioned the following:

For Example:

1. For a college for which fee of Rs.14,50,000/- is fixed, total fee comes to Rs.65,25,000/- which can be collected in 9 Semesters (i.e., 4.5 duration course). Student has to pay Rs.14,50,000/- for 1st 4 years and Rs.7,25,000/- for last Semester.

2. For a college for which fee of Rs.14,00,000/- is fixed, total fee comes to Rs.63,00,000/- which can be collected in 9 Semesters (i.e., 4.5 duration course). Student has to pay Rs.14,00,000/- for 1st 4 years and Rs.7,00,000/- for last Semester.

3. For a college for which fee of Rs.13,90,000/- is fixed, total fee comes to Rs.62,55,000/- which can be collected in 9 Semesters (i.e., 4.5 duration course). Student has to pay Rs.13,90,000/- for 1st 4 years and Rs.6,95,000/- for last Semester..

4. For a college for which fee of Rs.13,00,000/- is fixed, total fee comes to Rs.58,50,000/- which can be collected in 9 Semesters (i.e., 4.5 duration course). Student has to pay Rs.13,00,000/- for 1st 4 years and Rs.6,50,000/- for last Semester.

5. For a college for which fee of Rs.12,50,000/- is fixed, total fee comes to Rs.56,25,000/- which can be collected in 9 Semesters (i.e., 4.5 duration course). Student has to pay Rs.12,50,000/- for 1st 4 years and Rs.6,25,000/- for last Semester.

6. For a college for which fee of Rs.11,55,000/- is fixed, total fee comes to Rs.51,97,500/- which can be collected in 9 Semesters (i.e., 4.5 duration course). Student has to pay Rs.11,55,000/- for 1st 4 years and Rs.5,77,500/- for last Semester.

"In view of the above, you are hereby directed to collect tuition fee only for the prescribed 4.5 year duration of MBBS Course from students. However, in cases where the colleges has collected a lesser tuition fee during the 1st 4 years as mentioned above, the colleges are entitled to collect the balance fee apart from the fee payable for last 6 months. Such balance amount may be collected in accordance with the total fee prescribed for 4.5 year course. In any event, the total fee collected from students shall not be increased as mentioned above. Further, if any amount towards tuition fee for fifth year has already been collected excess then the tuition fee from the students, shall be refunded to the concerned student immediately. Failure to comply with the above directions appropriate action will be initiated against the institution in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations," the Committee said in the letter.

College wise Tuition Fee:

Also read- NMC directs medical colleges to charge MBBS fees only for 4.5 years, warns against non-compliance