High medical education fee a major hurdle for students

High medical education fee a major hurdle for students 

26.09.2026

For Heer Nai, the choice was between a medical seat and an affordable alternative. “She secured a seat at NHL Municipal Medical College but did not want to pursue medicine at a private college where the annual fee could have been around Rs 24 lakh. She has instead opted for Pharm D at LM Pharmacy, where the annual fee is about Rs 2 lakh,” said Yagnesh, Heer’s father. 

“NEET score is good, but there has to be a budget for medical education. We cannot afford it.” Others are holding on for the third round. Deven Yatri, who secured a seat at SMIMER with a NEET score of 335, is hoping for an upgrade because a fee of around Rs 24 lakh a year for management-quota seats in Surat is unaffordable. Hitanshi Kalyani, who scored 322 in NEET in the open category, also did not confirm her seat at Kalol Medical College, after being offered a management-quota option costing more than Rs 24 lakh a year. 

“I run a scrap business. My daughter plans to add more general-quota options in the third round as the fees are not affordable,” said Ram Prakash Kalyani, her father. Some students also cited the long duration of medical education. For some families, these factors add to the financial pressure of choosing medicine.