Med courses to cost five times

The fee has been hiked from `5.85 lakh to `25 lakh per annum. There are 12 private medical colleges in TS but only five have super specialty courses.

The state government has issued a government order increasing the fees of super specialty courses from `5.85 lakh to `25 lakh per annum. The government order has been issued for all private nonaided medical colleges in the state. There are 12 private medical colleges in Telangana but only five colleges have super specialty courses.

The counselling session for super specialty courses are going on and the students are under tremendous pressure as they have to cough up `25 lakh per annum for the course. This is only the college fees and does not include their stipend of `30,000 per month.

The junior doctors have registered a strong protest stating that the hike in fees was illegal and unconstitutional.

Secretary of Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association Dr. G. Srinivas said, “The fees cannot be increased by private medical colleges without putting up a proposal with the Telangana Fee Recommendations Committee. The government has issued an order without following the due process. Last year, when private medical colleges increased the fees the High Court had cancelled it stating that a due process must be followed. This year again they are doing the same thing.”

The HRA approached the government’s section office and deputy secretary for health but were not given the copy of the order.