Gujarat Congress slams high fees in GMERS medical colleges

Ahmedabad: The main opposition Congress party today criticized the state government over high fees in medical colleges, particularly those under the Gujarat Medical Education Research Society (GMERS). The party also called for an immediate conversion of GMERS colleges into government medical colleges to make medical education more accessible to students from general and middle-class backgrounds.

At the conclusion of the first round of MBBS admissions, statistics reveal that government medical colleges with low annual fees are the preferred choice for students and parents. According to Congress spokesperson Dr. Manish Doshi, there are 1,400 seats in six government medical colleges with an annual fee of ₹25,000, compared to fees ranging from ₹3.75 lakh to ₹12 lakh in 13 GMERS colleges. Self-financed institutions reportedly charge between ₹11 lakh and ₹26 lakh annually.

Dr. Doshi highlighted that medical colleges established during Congress’s tenure charged fees as low as ₹6,000 annually, which he alleges the BJP government has increased by 400%. He argued that high fees present a significant challenge for general and middle-class families, preventing many capable students from pursuing medical studies and impacting the future availability of doctors in rural areas.

The Congress further claims that GMERS colleges, which were set up with substantial funding from the central government and intended to expand access to medical education, have instead become unaffordable for many. The party demands a rollback of high fees and conversion of these colleges to full government status.

Dr. Doshi also pointed to alleged irregularities under the “Brownfield Scheme” for new medical colleges, accusing the BJP government of enabling scams and providing financial benefits to private institutions and affiliated individuals. The distribution of government funds and allocation of public hospitals to private colleges, he said, warrants urgent investigation.

Despite a reported increase in the number of colleges and seats available for medical aspirants after the 12th science stream, the Congress questions the state government’s rationale in giving financial and property benefits to private colleges while burdening families with steep costs.

Comparative Fee Structure for Medical Colleges in Gujarat

Dr. Manish Doshi, Congress Media Convener and Spokesperson, stated the party’s demand for a thorough investigation into fee hikes and funding practices, along with the immediate conversion of GMERS colleges into government-run institutions to ensure affordable and quality medical education. DeshGujarat