Karnataka: Deemed university students bear brunt of exorbitant fee hike

Bengaluru: Last week, when the state government announced the fee structure for various MD/MS seats in government-run medical colleges, it was hailed as a student-friendly initiative, as the annual course fee was fixed at just Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000. But the situation in deemed universities is shockingly different as the students this year, will have to cough up at least 40-50% hike in fee over last year for MD/MS courses.

As the state government and deemed universities have signed a consensual agreement, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) fills up all-India level merit seats available in these universities. But the big fee hike has come as a nasty surprise for the selected students.

They said that one of the deemed universities in Mangaluru has increased the annual fee for courses like MD – general medicine, MD – general surgery and MD – Anaesthesia from Rs 17.54 lakh last year to Rs 24.08 lakh, Rs 18.08 lakh and Rs 24.08 lakh this year. The JSS deemed university in Mysuru has increased the annual fee for MD Radiology and MD emergency medicine from Rs 11 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.

Students said, “All deemed universities have increased the annual fee for courses in demand by Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. NEET allows meritorious students get PG seats, but the big fee hike has come as a big dampener for us," said a student who wished not to be identified.

Fee structure on KEA website
For the first time, deemed universities have made their annual fee structure public as KEA is authorised to fill seats and collect the fees. “Majority of the students will not be in a position to pay this huge sum. They have to wait for another year to get seats in government colleges or government quota seats in the private colleges,” he said. But state medical education department officials said they cannot do much as the UGC Act gives autonomy to deemed universities to decide their courses and fee structure.