Bhubaneswar: The evacuation of thousands of students from India, including Odisha, has sparked a debate over the high cost of MBBS courses in the country that force lakhs of students to opt for countries like Ukraine to study medicine.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that students who had to leave Ukraine are able to continue their medical education in Odisha.
“I assure you of full support of the Odisha government for implementing a workable solution for this purpose,” Naveen said in his letter to Modi.
The Ukraine crisis may have put the focus on exorbitant costs of MBBS courses in India and the evacuation of students sparked concern over the disruption in their studies.
But that hasn’t stopped the Odisha government from hiking the admission fee of MBBS courses. The state government has hiked the admission fees of MBBS course by 28 per cent and super specialty course by 49 per cent.
Following the State Fee Regulating Committee (FRC)’s recommendation, the state government has increased the admission fee of MBBS course in state medical colleges, which was earlier Rs 29,694, to Rs 37,950 from the current academic year.
Similarly, the admission fee of super specialty course has been hiked to Rs 67,800 from Rs 45,500.
Besides, the hostel fee of MBBS and BDS students has been revised to Rs 14,000 from Rs 10,000, increased by 40 per cent.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued guidelines asking all states to ensure that the fee of 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges are on a par with government medical colleges.
The Odisha government’s move has sparked widespread anger among parents and students.
The Medical Students’ Union too has objected to the government’s decision.
Odisha Parents Federation (OPF), a forum fighting for regulation of the education system in the State, has urged the government to roll it back.
OPF chairman Basudev Bhatta told TNIE the hike will deprive many poor students from studying medicine.
“The government recommends fee hike at regular intervals. I am unaware of the percentage hike of fee in details. Let me examine the issue to find an amicable solution,” state Health Minister Naba Kishore Das was quoted as saying in a news report.
