Will Modi fulfil promise? Activist urges PM to charge govt medical college fee in 50% private seats

NEW DELHI: Two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to charge fees for half of the seats in private medical colleges at par with the government medical colleges, aspirants still await implementation of the rule. On PM Modi’s birthday, a RTI activist took to social media to request him to fulfill the promise.

On February 3, 2022, the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued guidelines for determination of fees and all other charges in respect of 50% of the seats in private medical institutions and deemed to be universities, governed under the NMC Act, 2019.

“After extensive consultations, it has been decided that the fee of the 50% seats in the Private Medical College and Deemed Universities should be at par with the Fee in the Government Medical Colleges of that particular State and UT. The benefit of this fee structure would be first made available to those candidates who have availed Government quota,” the rule read.

On March 7, PM Modi tweeted on X (formerly Twitter): “Just a few days ago, the government has made another big decision which will greatly benefit the children of poor and middle class. We have decided that the fees for half the seats in private medical colleges will be the same as in government medical colleges.”

The activist, Vivek Pandey, shared a screenshot of the tweet and wrote: “Dear @narendramodi Ji, on ur birthday, students may not have a gift to offer, but humbly request you to fulfill the promise you made to #NEETUG & #NEETPG aspirants about allocating 50% seats in private medical colleges at govt medical college fees.”

PM Modi's tweet on revised private medical college fee. (Image:X)While some states, including Madhya Pradesh, agreed to reduce fees of 50% seats of private medical colleges, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu have decided to not implement the NMC rule. Petitions were filed against the NMC guidelines in 2022 and the case is still pending.

Several private medical colleges and deemed universities have challenged the “unconstitutional” guidelines issued by the NMC in 2022 and demanded to quash the order. A case against the NMC rule was filed in Madras High Court in August 2022.

The petitioners argued: “Since higher education is not a fundamental right, it is unreasonable to compel a citizen to pay for the education of another, more so in the unrealistic world of competitive examinations.”

Private colleges charge around Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for MBBS course and deemed universities offer seats for Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh.