HP: Aspirants likely to pay more fees for four new medical colleges under self-financing mode

Himachal Pradesh: MD team had earlier reported that the state government is staring at a fund shortage to function four new medical colleges here. As a result of which, the state government has taken a decision to run the new medical colleges by a society under the self-financing scheme. The four new medical colleges are located in Nahan, Chamba, Hamirpur, and Ner Chowk in Mandi. These colleges together are expected to offer 600 MBBS seats.

While this is good news of the medical aspirants in the state, however, the state government is still working on a fee structure for these new medical colleges. A recent media report suggests that poor meritorious students are not likely to benefit with this recent decision of functioning the medical colleges under the self-financing mode. No final decision on the fee structure has been arrived at by the government till now or the number of seats to be offered to the meritorious students yet. No further seats break up for reservation under open seats and NRI seats has yet been taken.

The health ministry has however directed to take a decision soon, as the medical college at Nahan is to offer 100 MBBS seats, by starting the first batch in 2016-17. MCI has given the letter of permission to Dr Y S Parmar Medical College at Nahan.

Fee-structure

The two GMCs, the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) Shimla and Dr R P Medical College, Tanda (Kangra) is charging below Rs 2 lakh for full five-and-a-half-years MBBS course. On the contrary, under the “self-financing mode”, the fee may increase many-fold. The fee for the complete course can be as high as more than Rs 20 lakh for meritorious students only. In comparison, fee is expected to only be higher for paid seats and under NRI quota.

Maharishi Markendeshwar Medical College, Kumarhatti (Solan), the only private medical college here is charging a fee of Rs five lakh annually, under the government quota. The fee fixed by the government is already high for the meritorious students.

The government is reported to noting the structure of self financed colleges which function under the Gujarat Medical Education Research Society (GMERS). The annual fee under the general quota fee is Rs 2.5 lakh and under NRI quota is $16,000 (about Rs 11 lakh). NRI fee does not include caution money, library fee, hostel fee for one term and mess charges.

The parents are also reported to be protesting against the huge fee amount for government medical seats.