Medical Fee for NRIs to Go Up in Maharashtra

The Fee Regulating Authority (FRA) has allowed private medical colleges in Maharashtra to charge higher fees for their institution quota and NRI seats while lowering fees for state quota seats, according to recent reports.

As a result, MBBS tuition fees of KJ Somaiya Medical College fell from Rs 9.2 lakh for 2017 to Rs 7.5 lakh in 2018. The annual post graduate medical fees has been reduced from Rs 10.4 lakh for state quota students to Rs 8.2 lakh. Meanwhile, a fee of Rs 55 lakh was charged to students for NRI seats and institution quota.

“While approving fees of health science courses, the authority has considered excess collection made by colleges from students in NRI and institution quota and accordingly approved a reasonable fee structure,” said the FRA’s directive, according to the Times of India.

In 2017, the private colleges in Maharashtra had a fallout with the FRA over its decision to stop the three-tier fee structure. Also, the colleges charges NRI and institution quota students three to four times the fee charged from a merit-based student.

During a meeting with the FRA on March 19, the fee structure of the NRI and institution quota students was approved while the fee for state quota student was lowered.

“However, if fees for NRI seats will be charged at five times the state quota fee, it will lead to a dramatic 50-60 per cent reduction in fees of state quota students for next year,” said an FRA source.

The colleges in Maharashtra claim an annual expenditure between Rs 30 crore and Rs 60 crore and an additional profit and inflation at 10 per cent each is permitted by the FRA. With these expenses and profit, the excess money coming in will be utilized to give subsidy to state quota students.

“Colleges have appreciated the FRA’s decision and PG admission will start soon,” said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research.

According to an earlier report, the inflated fee for the NRI quota was permitted only so that the fee for state quota students can be lowered. Earlier, the FRA had said that PG admission needs to be quota-blind, due to which the private colleges had stepped out of the PG admission process. The state government had to step in and direct the FRA to change its decision.

Colleges have 50 per cent seats for merit quota, 35 per cent for institutional quota and 15 per cent NRI seats.