Assam Doctors Face Massive Fee Hikes

Annual government fees for MBBS and BDS courses in Assam's state-run medical colleges have seen a substantial increase, with the government raising them by five to six times. Students from families earning more than ₹9 lakh annually will now be required to pay ₹1 lakh per year for MBBS, a significant shift from the previous uniform fee structure. This revised fee system includes income-based slabs, placing a greater financial burden on students from affluent backgrounds and offering concessions to those from economically weaker sections. For instance, BPL and low-income families will pay ₹5,000 annually for MBBS, while the highest earners will pay ₹1 lakh.

The state government has justified the fee hike by citing the rising costs of maintaining medical colleges and related operational expenses. The collected fees will be deposited entirely into the state exchequer. This marks the first revision of fees since 2022, and until now, no income-based differentiation was applied. Students admitted from the current academic session will be subject to the new government fees, while the one-time non-government fee remains unchanged.

Principals of government medical and dental colleges have been empowered to waive up to 50% of the applicable government fee for students facing extraordinary circumstances that might force them to discontinue their studies. The revised structure aims to link the financial burden of medical education more directly to family income, ensuring that students from higher-income households contribute more significantly towards their education.