Chandigarh, Aug. 17 — For Neeraj Kumar, son of a farm labourer from Shergarh village in Abohar, cracking NEET-UG with 493 marks was a dream fulfilled. But his admission to Government Medical College (GMC), Patiala, has run into a roadblock — the ₹1.8 lakh admission fee his family cannot afford.
“Currently, we don’t have the money to pay the fees. We will have to borrow money if someone gives,” Neeraj said, adding that his father’s meagre daily wages barely sustain the household.
He is not alone. Ashwani, a tailor’s son from Bazidpur Kattianwali village who scored 564 marks, and Harvinder Singh from Faridkot, whose parents work as a contractual teacher and ASHA worker, are also struggling to arrange funds to join medical college despite securing seats on merit.
Medical education in Punjab is among the costliest in the region. The tuition fee alone exceeds ₹10 lakh, and with hostel, books and other expenses, the five-year course costs close to ₹15 lakh. The state government recently raised MBBS fees by 5%, citing a 2020 notification mandating periodic revisions.
By comparison, government medical college fees in Himachal Pradesh stand at ₹3.19 lakh for the full course, while Haryana charges about ₹4.5 lakh.
Doctors and student groups say the steep costs are locking out bright students from humble backgrounds. “We have been strongly opposing the exorbitant fees. Meritorious students can’t afford medical education. The Punjab government should review the MBBS and PG course fees in the state, as they are the highest in the region,” said Dr Raman, president of the Resident Doctors’ Association, GMC.
Officials concede the policy gap. A senior education department official admitted there is no financial support scheme for general-category MBBS students, apart from scholarships for SC candidates under the BR Ambedkar Scholarship scheme.
Education minister Harjot Bains also acknowledged the issue. “Currently, there is no government scheme for any financial help for MBBS students from economically weaker sections. But we will try to help needy students,” he said.
Meanwhile, families like Neeraj’s are left scrambling for loans and handouts, even as their children hold coveted medical seats they may not be able to claim.
