Protests Lead to Fee Reduction: GMERS College Lowers Government Quota Fee by ₹1.75 Lakh and Management Quota Fee by ₹5 Lakh

The Gujarat State Government has reduced fees at GMERS (Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society) medical colleges. A reduction of ₹1.75 lakh in government quota and ₹5 lakh in management quota has been implemented. 

Originally set at ₹5.50 lakh, fees under the government quota are now confirmed at ₹3.75 lakh. Similarly, fees under the management quota, previously ₹17 lakh, will now be ₹12 lakh.

Fee Increases in GMERS Medical Colleges, Gujarat

The Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) increased fees significantly across its 13 medical colleges for the government quota from ₹3.40 lakh to ₹5.50 lakh per year, affecting 75% of the seats (approximately 1500 seats).

The annual fees for the management quota were raised from ₹9.75 lakh to ₹17 lakh. Additionally, the annual fees for the NRI quota unexpectedly increased from $22,000 to $25,000.

These adjustments mark substantial increases in educational expenses for students in GMERS medical colleges under various quotas.

Choice Between Domestic and International Medical Education Costs in Gujarat

In Gujarat, pursuing an MBBS degree costs approximately ₹80 lakh, whereas studying abroad ranges from ₹25 to ₹30 lakh. Many students opt for foreign education due to lower fees here and streamlined transportation that allows them to travel globally within 24 to 48 hours. 

Gujarat offers three types of medical colleges: government colleges with minimal fees, semi-government colleges with moderate fees, and private medical colleges with significantly higher fees. This makes MBBS affordable in Gujarat, whereas studying abroad, including hostel fees and all expenses, can be more costly.

NSUI Protests Fee Hike in MBBS Fees

On July 12th, NSUI (National Students’ Union of India) staged a vehement protest against the substantial fee hike in MBBS fees across GMERS colleges statewide. NSUI activists submitted a petition to the dean regarding the fee issue, prompting a sharp response from the administration, including allegations of forged signatures. 

The protest escalated with chants against the BJP, and following NSUI’s demonstration, ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) activists also voiced their dissent and submitted a formal application.

Meeting Held by Health Minister on Fee Hike Issue

On Monday, a meeting chaired by the Health Minister was held in Gandhinagar to address the severe fee hikes in 13 GMERS medical colleges, which were implemented by the state’s health department without informing the Chief Minister, sparking widespread protests across the state.

The meeting saw the participation of students, parents, representatives from the National Medical Organization (NMO), and student unions. In addition to the fee hike issue, concerns were raised about the contractual system at GMERS medical colleges.

The NMO warned that the BJP government needs to reconsider its actions and stop underestimating the public. They highlighted that if the public rejects the contractual system, the government and the Health Minister might face the consequences, as had happened in the past with the Vajpayee government due to rising onion prices and the Chimanbhai Patel government due to food bill hikes. The NMO representatives questioned whether the public would tolerate such a significant fee increase.

The Health Minister assured that the issue would be discussed in the upcoming cabinet meeting, which helped pacify the NMO representatives.

Doctor MLAs and NMO Representatives Appeal to BJP Organization Secretary Ratnakar

Five doctor MLAs, along with representatives from the National Medical Organization (NMO), met BJP Organization Secretary Ratnakar to lodge complaints about the government and Health Minister’s mismanagement. They argued that the Health Minister has been given responsibilities beyond his capacity and urged that educated and experienced doctor MLAs should be assigned the work instead.

The representatives highlighted several issues within GMERS colleges, including the lack of staff recruitment and the frequent transfers of existing staff, which create significant difficulties for the employees. They pointed out that one individual is currently burdened with responsibilities for 60 universities, suggesting that this load should be lightened to improve efficiency and management.

Affordable MBBS Fees: Government Colleges and Seats

Rajasthan:

• Colleges: 26
• Seats: 3955
• Tuition Fee: ₹63,800

Madhya Pradesh:

• Colleges: 14
• Seats: 2400
• Tuition Fee: ₹1,01,000

Maharashtra:

• Colleges: 32
• Seats: 5125
• Tuition Fee: ₹89,000 to ₹1.38 lakh

Gujarat:

• Colleges: 6
• Seats: 1400
• Tuition Fee: ₹25,000

(Note: These tuition fee figures are for the academic year 2023-24. Additional fees for admission, hostel, sports, etc., are charged separately.)