Centre’s move comes as a relief for aspiring doctors in Assam

FEES RATIONALIZATION IN PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Centre’s decision to prepare draft guidelines for the fee structure in private medical colleges and deemed universities from the next academic session, has come as a relief for hundreds of medical aspirants and their parents in Assam.

Every year, several students from the State take admission in private medical colleges and universities in different parts of the country. These students spend a huge amount of money to pay fees in the private medical colleges.

There are instances when parents have spent Rs 45 to Rs 55 lakh to enable their children to become doctors.

In its recent letter to the Medical Council of India (MCI)’s Board of Governors (BoG), the Union Health Ministry said, “The Commission on its constitution will frame guidelines for determination of fee which may be enforced from the academic session 2021-22.”

“It has been desired that the BoG may prepare draft guidelines for determination of fees and all other charges of 50 per cent of private medical colleges and deemed universities as envisaged under the NMC Act-2019 so that the Commission on its constitution may utilise the same and so that it can be enforced from the next academic session—2020-21 — onwards for both UG and PG medical admissions,” the letter read.

Dr Aftab Ali, former professor who had served several medical colleges in the State, said the Centre’s move is expected to help those meritorious students who cannot afford to pay the high fees to study medicines. He also pointed out that hundreds of instances in the past have proved that poor meritorious students have become excellent doctors and served the society.

“Unfortunately medical education is increasingly becoming costly in the country. To produce the best doctors for the society, the cost of medical education has to be reasonable and affordable,” Dr Ali said.

Hitesh Medhi, a government employee said his son desperately wants to become a doctor. “If my son does not get admission into a government medical college, I’ll have to put him into a private medical college. I hope that the Central government will rationalize the fees structure,” Medhi added.

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