Kerala to implement annual fee hikes for self-financing medical colleges in line with inflation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fees in self-financing medical colleges will now increase in accordance with the price rise in the public market. The proposal by the National Medical Commission to adjust MBBS fees based on the annual consumer price index published by the central government will be implemented in Kerala starting this year.

The inflation index typically rises most years, resulting in corresponding fee increases. However, the exact magnitude of the fee hike remains unspecified.

With the adoption of the price index benchmark, self-financing colleges will have the authority to annually raise fees without the need to present income and expenditure figures before the fee determination committee, which is chaired by a retired High Court judge. Simply seeking permission for an increase aligned with the price index will suffice.

In January, Kerala recorded a 4.4 percent increase in the consumer price index, while the national figure stood at 5.1 percent.

Following a Supreme Court ruling in the Modern Dental College case, fees set by the Fee Determination Committee should remain unchanged for three years. However, dental fees can increase annually if inflation is considered.

Currently, colleges must provide documents detailing operating expenses, income, and expenditure figures to the fee determination committee for reassessment. Yet, there have been instances of false numbers being presented.

Under the current system, fees are reassessed every three years based on recommendations from an expert committee.

Initially, the medical commission proposed that the government set fees for half of the seats but this was contested by managements and subsequently avoided after legal intervention.

In Kerala's self-financing medical colleges, there are 2745 self-supporting seats and 1455 government seats. The current fees per year are as follows:

For self-financing seats (85%)

- Tuition fee: 6.61-7.65 lakhs

- Special fee: 86,600

For NRI seats (15%):

- Tuition fee: 20 lakhs

In government medical colleges, the fee is 27,580 Rs per year.