No MBBS fee subsidy for those who don’t serve in Haryana : Govt

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 12

Facing shortage of doctors during the Covid pandemic, the Haryana Government today justified the hiked MBBS fee of Rs 40 lakh for those students who don’t want to serve in state hospitals after the completion of their course.

Amidst criticism from various quarters over the hike, the state government has made it clear that medical education of those who want to serve in the private sector can’t be subsidised.

The Haryana Medical Education and Research Department recently announced Rs 10 lakh per annum for four years as fee for the MBBS course in government medical colleges.

Of this, Rs 80,000 for the first year with 10 per cent per annum increase in the subsequent years will have to be paid by the students. The rest of the amount will be a loan amount against them.

The instalments of the loan will be paid by the government till the student continues to work in government hospitals or medical colleges of the state after completion of the course. But in case the student quits the job midway, the balance of loan with interest will have to be paid by him or her.

V Umashankar, Principal Secretary to Haryana Chief Minister (PSCM), today clarified that those who serve in government hospitals in the state don’t have to worry about the loan amount. But the government can’t subsidise medical education of those who want to serve in the private sector or in hospitals in other states.

Umashankar explained that the fee for MBA students in IIMs in the country ranges between Rs 11 lakh and Rs 23 lakh because the students passing out from there go to serve in the private sector.

Similarly, if a medical graduate passing out from a government medical college wants to serve in the private sector for better remuneration, he or she should also not expect subsidy on their education.

“The Covid situation has shown that the government needs doctors for its healthcare system as everyone can’t afford treatment in private hospitals. So, by asking students to fill a bond and either serve our government hospitals or medical colleges or pay up the bond amount, we are trying to address our shortage of doctors,” Umashankar added.

According to Dr Suraj Bhan Kamboj, Director General of Health Services, there are nearly 3,500 posts of medical officers in Haryana of which over 500 are lying vacant.

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