With huge MBBS Fees, MBBS aspirants in Punjab unable to join course
Patiala: Due to huge fees in the Government medical colleges of Punjab, MBBS aspirants from poor economical background are unable to join the medical courses despite clearing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
Although the State had earlier opened meritorious schools for helping students from humble backgrounds get admitted to professional colleges, due to the exorbitant fees of Rs 8 lakh in the government medical colleges, the purpose od such schools has been defeated.
Therefore, with the semester fees more than the annual income of the families, the medical aspirants are left with no choice but to give up on their dreams of becoming doctors.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported how medical education in Punjab has become costly with an yearly 5% hike in the MBBS course fees applied to both the government and private medical colleges in the State.
In the recently announced revised fee structure by the Department of Medical Education and Research, the additional secretary Rahul Gupta notified about a 5% hike in the MBBS course fees for the 2022 session onwards.
As a result of the continuous hike, the fees for MBBS courses in the government medical colleges at Amritsar, Patiala, and Faridkot has now been increased to Rs 8.62 lakh for the full course. Back in 2020, this fee was Rs 7.82 lakh. Therefore, facing a burden of Rs 81,000 hike, it has now become more difficult for the poor students in Punjab to pursue their dreams of becoming doctor.
The fresh notification shows that the MBBS full course fee in the management quota seats of private medical colleges is now Rs 52.60 lakh instead of Rs 47.70 lakh in 2020. In case of the government quota seats, the MBBS fee has been increased from Rs 18.55 lakh in 2020 to Rs 20.45 lakh.
The rule of annual 5% hike in the MBBS course fees was implemented when the Congress government was in power back in 2020. Back then, the State had increased the MBBS course fee in the government medical colleges by 78%. While previously the students had to pay Rs 4.4 lakh, it was hiked to Rs 7.81 lakh for the academic session of 2019-2020. Implementing the 5% annual hike for five years for subsequent batches in all government and private health sciences educational institutes, the State had back then decided to review the fees after five years.
As per the latest media report by The Tribune India, due to the huge course fees, the children of daily wage and factory workers are unable to pursue MBBS even though they have cleared the NEET examination. For instance, a student belonging to the Meritorious School, Ferozepur, whose father is a labourer by profession, secured admission to GMC Amritsar. However, the fees for the first semester is Rs 82,000 which is hugher than the annual income of the family. While his father borrowed money for the first semester, he is unable to pay fees for the entire course.
The student's father told the daily, "This time, I somehow managed to pay the fee by borrowing money. I will not be able to pay the hostel and tuition fee for the rest of the MBBS course."
The situation is similar for another student belonging to Government Meritorious School, Bathinda. The student, who secured admission in GMC Patiala told the daily, "We have borrowed money from the village to pay the tuition fee. Now, I do not have money for the hostel fee. I have to buy books also."
While commenting on the matter a teacher at a meritorious school in Bathinda opined that the Government should come up with a policy for meritorious school students and added, "Every year, several meritorious students, hailing from humble backgrounds, clear NEET. However, they struggle to pay the course fee in government colleges. The purpose of preparing students for competitive exams at meritorious schools gets defeated if they can't get admission even after getting good ranks."
"Every year, our students clear the entrance exam. Sadly, many of them are unable to pay even the tuition fee," said a biology teacher belonging to a Meritorious school in Bathinda.
Meanwhile, taking note of the situation, the State Minister of Education, Chetan Singh Jouranajra has mentioned, "I will look into the matter and ensure no one faces financial hurdles."
Also Read: Amid confusion on NMC fee order, PG Medical Education in Maharashtra gets costlier
