Hry govt hikes MBBS fee to ₹40L

GOVT TO HELP GET EDUCATION LOAN

Hry govt hikes MBBS fee to ₹40L

Students Will Sign Bonds

Manvir.Saini@timesgroup.com

Chandigarh:09.11.2020 

In a move which may trigger unrest among students seeking admission in government-run medical colleges in Haryana, the Haryana medical education and research department has revised the fee for medical courses and introduced bonds for students, for which a system of loans has been put in place.

The move is meant to ensure that MBSS pass-outs are retained in government service for seven years. Repayment of EMIs will be done by government in case MBBS pass-outs join and stay with Haryana government for seven years.

Now, a student seeking admission in an MBBS course will have to pay Rs 40 lakh for the four-year course.

The amount would be to around Rs 10 lakh per annum, including the course fee, which will start from Rs 80,000 per annum. The fee will increase by 10% with each passing year.

At present, the government-run medical colleges have a fee structure of Rs 56,000 per annum, while private colleges charge Rs 12 lakh per annum. With the new policy unveiled by the government, students seeking admission in MBBS courses will have to adhere to the revised structures.

According to the policy, students will have to furnish a bond with the medical education department. The government shall facilitate an educational loan of Rs 10 lakh per year for four years. After a five and a half year moratorium period, students will have two options of repayment.

Those passing out shall be given a job in Haryana and the government shall repay the loan in seven years. In case the pass-out wants to opt out of Haryana, he/she shall have to repay the loan at his/ her own level.

The policy has a quota system in education but it does not spell out exact financial relaxation for students coming from various categories including SC/ST, backward class or economic weaker sections.

The notification has also increased fee for PG courses, which will start at Rs 1.25 lakh with increase of Rs 25,000 every year.

According to the state government, this is to provide job assurance to MBBS doctors. “This way, students will be assured of a job. As far as bond money is concerned, Rs 10 lakh per annum is inclusive of course feel.

“After paying the course fee, the remaining amount shall go to a trust, which shall repay the student’s loan and other things. This is the best scheme the state has come out with,” a senior officer of the department of medical education and research, Haryana said. However, opposition parties are not convinced.

Haryana’s main opposition party, the Congress has termed this as the worst move initiated by the Manohar Lal Khattar-Dushyant Chautala led BJP-JJP government on those seeking admission to medical colleges in Haryana.

“This diktat shall keep children from poor backgrounds, especially those from SC/ST and backward class categories, away from medical education. Secondly, this entire exercise appears to be a scam to help private medical colleges hike fee. Once they come to know that the government course will cost a student Rs 40 lakh, they can charge up to Rs 30 lakh in addition to underhand capitation fee,’’ said AICC chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala.

He said, “This will add another dark chapter in the lives of the youth of Haryana. We ask the government to withdraw this with immediate effect or else we shall take legal recourse. We shall not allow this anarchy,’’ he asserted.

Abhay Chautala of INLD termed it as a move of the BJP-JJP government to keep children of the poor, farmers and Dalits away from medical colleges.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, who was interacting with mediapersons in Fatehabad, maintained that the fee hike had been pending for many years.

“The course fee is less than that being charged in Punjab,’’ he said. He did not comment on the bond money, as prescribed in the policy.

The chief minister described the fee hike as marginal and said there had been no fee hike for several years. According to him, medical fees in Himachal is nominal as compared to other states.

On the question pertaining to submitting bonds worth Rs 10 lakh, the chief minister said it has been included so that after pursuing MBBS, students can work in the state and provide their services to people. He said the bonds are being submitted to encourage students to work in the state.