Telangana doctors' body moves fee regulatory committee urging fee reduction for competent authority MD, MS seats in private medical colleges
Hyderabad: Over high tuition fees for postgraduate MD/MS courses under Category A (Competent Authority Quota) in private medical colleges in Telangana, a doctors' body has urged the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) to reduce the fees.
In the letter, the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) on September 21, 2026, sought rationalisation and downward revision of the Category-A PG medical fee for the 2023-2026 block period. The association said Category-A seats are allotted through the Competent Authority based purely on NEET-PG merit.
Therefore, the association said that the fee applicable to these merit-based seats should be reasonable and affordable, particularly for students from middle-class and lower-middle-class families.
Further, it referred to the National Medical Commission's (NMC) Office Memorandum dated February 3, 2022, which states that the fee for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities should be at par with the fee charged in government medical colleges of the respective State or Union Territory.
The association pointed out that the NMC memorandum provides that the benefit should first be given to candidates who have obtained government quota seats, up to 50% of the total sanctioned seats of the respective medical college/deemed university. If government quota seats are less than 50%, the remaining candidates should also receive the government medical college fee based purely on merit.
"This principle is particularly relevant to Category-A MD/MS seats, where admission is secured purely through NEET-PG merit under the Competent Authority. The existing MBBS fee structure also provides a practical illustration," the association said.
Citing the existing MBBS fee structure in Telangana as an example of the difference between merit-based and other categories, the doctors stated that for Category-A, the MBBS tuition fee is Rs 60,000 per year, while the Category-B fee in private medical colleges is around Rs 11.55 lakh to Rs 13 lakh per year.
It pointed out that this difference shows that a substantially lower fee can be maintained for merit-based Competent Authority seats while retaining a separate fee structure for other categories.
HRDA also referred to a KNRUHS notice dated August 11, 2026, stating that the UG MBBS/BDS fee structure for the 2026-2029 block period would continue as prescribed under G.O.Ms.No.106 dated July 28, 2023, read with G.O.Ms.No.132 dated August 18, 2023.
"This demonstrates continuity in the prescribed UG fee structure and supports the need for a rational approach to fee determination. The NMC guidelines also emphasise consideration of actual operating costs, audited financial accounts and relevant expenditure, while adhering to the principle of medical education being conducted on a not-for-profit basis. We further draw the attention of the Hon'ble Committee to W.A. No.341 of 2025, wherein the affidavit filed on behalf of TAFRC records that the Committee is ready and willing to undertake reconsideration of the tuition fee fixation for PG Medical and Dental Courses for the block period 2023-2026 in accordance with the applicable rules and guidelines," HRDA said in the letter.
In view of this, the association requested the TAFRC to reconsider the existing Category-A MD/MS tuition fee and effect a substantial downward revision for the entire 2023-2026 block period, taking into account the NMC guidelines, actual operating expenditure, audited financial records and the principle of merit-based access.
"Merit should not be defeated by financial capacity. Students who secure postgraduate seats through NEET-PG merit under the Competent Authority should be provided an affordable opportunity to pursue MD/MS education. We therefore request the Hon'ble Chairman and the Committee to consider this matter on priority and revise the Category-A MD/MS tuition fee for the 2023-2026 block period, in the interest of merit, affordability and equitable access to postgraduate medical education in Telangana," it further added.
Also read- NEET 2026: MBBS fees cross Rs 1 crore at 46 medical institutes
