Karnataka private medical colleges MBBS fee to cross Rs 5 lakh

Karnataka private medical colleges are likely to hike their fees this academic year. The UG and dental courses offered in top colleges in the state is expected to cross Rs 5 lakh mark.

Sources from the state department of medical education in this statement implied that a retired HC judge, who is heading the fee fixation committee has confirmed that the fee will be different for different private medical colleges. The highest fee recommendation for top medical colleges is likely to cross the Rs 5 lakh mark.

The current fee slab being charged by private colleges is Rs 4.25 lakh annually. In addition, there is a provision of a concession for the 49% seats under the government quota. In exact number it means 1400 CET seats, with students required to pay Rs 55,000 per annum.

The fee fixation committee has been formed by the state government as a nodal point to fix medical and dental course fee in the state. It is only on the committee’s recommendation, that the fee has been fixed keeping in mind the infrastructure provided by the college. The committee has even recommended that no college should charge a few lower than Rs 2 lakh.

The fact of the matter is that the government concession in the state has now been removed, as private medical colleges will be providing admission for 85% quota through Neet. Remaining, 15% is NRI quota. However, NRI students are expected to pay even more.

It is also reported that the state medical education and higher education ministers have been trying to convince the private medical college managements to provide seats under the state government quota. Still, the sources say that even if the seats are shared with the government, it is highly improbable that the fee will be brought down.

A representative of the management of one of the top medical colleges in the state said to Express that, “When VS Acharya was the medical education minister, he told that government spends around Rs 5 lakh per student on medical education. When they can pay for students in government medical colleges, let them pay for us too.”

Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, state Medical Education Minister, acknowledged there were hurdles. “Private colleges are ready to share seats, but their demand is equal fee for all the 85% seats without any concessions. No government can do that. However, we have yet to open the fee fixation committee report.”

As it stands today, members of the Karnataka Professional College Foundation have declared that there will be no government-quota seats.Minister of State for Medical Education Sharan Prakash R. Patil, who is yet to see the report, said to Hindu that, “We are trying to persuade private colleges to give government-quota seats.” A meeting with minority medical colleges as well as deemed universities has been convened on Friday. The government has decided to take the legal route if talks fail.