The TD-led alliance government is likely to continue the policy introduced by the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, which involves ‘selling’ MBBS seats in government medical colleges under self-finance and NRI categories in Andhra Pradesh.
Government’s Stance on Fee Structure
Recently, the state government’s counsel informed the AP High Court that no decision had been made regarding the MBBS fee issue in government medical colleges, and the current policy would remain for the time being.
Fee Structure Under GO 108
On July 19, 2023, the YSRC government issued GO 108, setting the annual fee structure for undergraduate medical courses in government medical colleges for the academic year 2023-24. The fees were fixed at Rs 15,000 for the general category (50% seats), Rs 12 lakh for the self-financing category (35% seats), and Rs 20 lakh for the NRI category (15% seats).
Amendments Under GO 107
The government also issued GO 107 on the same day, amending the AP Government Professional Institutions (Regulation of Admissions into Undergraduate Medical and Dental Professional Courses) Rules, 2004. It stated that 15% of seats would be allocated to the All India Quota, and the remaining 85% would be divided among the general, self-financing, and NRI categories.
Political Opposition to the Fee Structure
The Telugu Desam and Jana Sena parties vocally opposed the YSRC government’s decision to set fees for MBBS seats. TD general secretary and current HRD minister, Nara Lokesh, criticized the policy during an interaction with youths in August 2023. He promised that once in power, his party would annul the GO within 100 days and ensure that MBBS seats are available to the poor, emphasizing that poverty transcends caste, religion, and region.
Similarly, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan condemned the GO, accusing the YSRC government of selling medical college seats. He pointed out that while the Telangana government allocated additional seats to all sections of people, the YSRC government was selling them, depriving economically backward classes, including BC, SC, and ST students, of opportunities.
Current Status and Delays
Despite the alliance government, led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, assuming power on June 12, no decision has been made regarding the MBBS fee issue. The delay in MBBS first-year admissions has been compounded by the NEET UG-2024 paper leak and subsequent court cases.
Director of Medical Education’s Statement
Director of Medical Education, Dr. D.S.V.L. Narasimham, stated that the state government is currently maintaining the status quo regarding the MBBS fee structure in government medical colleges.
Parents Association’s Appeal
Representatives from the AP Medicos Parents Association, led by president Ala Venkateswarlu, recently met with Health Minister Satya Kumar to submit a representation. They argued that medical seats in government colleges should be reserved for meritorious students and urged the state government to revoke the GOs. They emphasized that no state allocates government medical college seats to the Management Quota and appealed for the provision of 325 additional MBBS seats to poor meritorious students on a yearly basis.
Source: Deccan Chronicle