Karnataka private medical colleges in for a 15 percent hike in fee

Bengaluru: Private medical institutions of Karnataka are in for a fee hike of 15%. This is being done to sustain 3,500 medical seats for the local students writing the national Eligibility Test (NEET), likely to be held in May this year. Karnataka has 55 colleges offering 8,075 MBBS seats.

The subsidized government quota medical fee was raised from Rs. 55,000 to Rs. 70,000 last year. While fee for seats filled up through NEET was hiked from Rs. 4.25 lac to Rs. 5.75 lac.

It is believed that a consensual agreement has been signed between the Karnataka Government and private colleges under the Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Determination of Fee) Act, 2006. The agreement calls for Non Minority Private Colleges giving away 40% of their seats for local students. The annual fee for these seats is fixed by the government and is subsidized as well. Minority colleges give away 25% seats for local entrants in the fray, reports India.com.

Of the 8,075 seats being offered by the state, 2,400 fall in the government quota.