Himachal Pradesh: MBBS fee structure remains the same this year, after last year's rise

Shimla: Fee hike for MBBS courses has been ruled out by the state cabinet for the three existing government medical colleges and the two new medical colleges commencing session this year.

A similar fee structure is to be applicable to all the five colleges, with no hike in fee.

The three new entrants into the medical college numbers the seat strength has risen to 500. 75 seats are to be filled on an an all india basis , 21 are to be reserved for NRI's and another 20 go the Mandi college way for its ESI category students.

Fee approval process last year for Dr YS Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan, had resulted in the government increasing the fee for MBBS courses in Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda (Kangra), by 33 per cent.

Furthermore, the same fee structurs has been given approval at Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College, Mandi, and Pt Jawaharlal Medical College, Chamba which are to admit students from this year.

An LOP for a 100 students each has also been granted to Mandi and Chamba Colleges for the current academic session, while the Nahan medical college has been given approval for admitting the second batch of students, to Nahan College.

The current session's admissions are to be NEET based through centralized counselling for all the Himachal Pradesh University affiliated colleges. 150 seats of the lone medical colleges are also to be filled through centralized counselling revealed sources in the health department.

Faculties for all the colleges would be appointed separately, and vacant NRI seats are to be given back to the government. There fee however, is supposed to be higher and at power with the management quota seats in private institutions.

A Fee hike from Rs. 45,000 to Rs 60,000 was witnessed for MBBS courses last year for the Ist Year round. The 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th year witnessed a quantum jump from Rs. 37,000 to Rs. 50,000 annually.

The tuition fee has witnessed a jump of Rs. 10,000; with admission fee, student fee, refundable security and medical fund rising by Rs 1,000 each.

Rs 25,000 (approximately) is payable for availing hostel facility which included rent, electricity and water charges, utensils, mess servant charges, etc.

The NRI quota seats witness a substantial jump of $13,000(Rs 8.65 lakh) to $20,000 (Rs 13.32 lakh) per annum last year, with the total extra burden of the entire course increasing by Rs. 23.50 lakh.

Though presently all government medical colleges are affiliated to HPU, the authorities plan to set up an a medical university in Mandi and all deemed medical, dental, nursing and paramedical institutions are to be affiliated to the new university reports The Tribune.