Different MBBS fee structure in Jharkhand medical colleges perplexes students

SUBHASH MISHRA

Dhanbad, March 9: Variation in the fee structure of the government-owned medical colleges of Jharkhand has perplexed the MBBS students as well as their guardians in the state.

The Jharkhand government runs six medical colleges in the state, including Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi but their fee structure is different from each other.

While  Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad has the lowest admission and tuition fee charge of Rs 8,500,  RIMS Ranchi has kept the smallest amount for hostel charge of Rs 3,750 only.

However, the admission charge of RIMS for boys is the highest of Rs 10,050  in the state followed by Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur which has Rs 9,180 including a one-year annual fee of Rs 6,000.

However, female MBBS students have to pay Rs 3,180 only at the time of admission as their tuition fee (Rs 500 per month) has been written off.

In other medical colleges, SNMMCH Dhanbad student has to pay Rs 8,500 for admission including a one-year tuition fee while charges at MGMMCH Jamshedpur is Rs 9,180.

Three other medical colleges Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH) Palamu, Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) Hazaribagh, Phulo Jhano Medical College Hospital (PJMCH) Dumka follow the fee structure (Rs 9,180) of MGMMCH Jamshedpur.

MRMCH Palamu principal Dr Shailendra Kumar, SBMCH Hazaribagh Principal Dr SK Singh and PJMCH Dumka Principal Dr A Kumar said that as per the government directive, they have followed the fee structure of MGMMCH Jamshedpur.

Interestingly, even the hostel fee of these institutions also varies from each other. While RIMS Ranchi takes Rs 7,500-two years hostel charge at the time of admission (Rs 3,750 per year), SNMMCH Dhanbad takes Rs. 4800.

At the same time, the other four medical colleges MGMMCH, MRMCH, SBMCH and PJMCH realize hostel charges of Rs 30,000 including Rs. 5,000 as caution money which would be refunded to students after completion of the MBBS course, according to Dr KN Singh, Principal of MGMMCH.

SNMMCH Dhanbad also takes a separate amount of Rs 5,000 as caution money while RIMS Ranchi takes only Rs 1,000 from students.

However, Director Medical Education of the state health department Dr Arun Kumar justified the variation in the admission fee structure of medical colleges in the state saying that they have fixed the admission and hostel charges based on their registration with respective universities and the facilities being provided to the students in the hostel.

“MGMMCH Jamshedpur has provided generator facilities in hostels. Obviously, the hostel charges would be higher than other medical colleges of the state. Examination fees to university, athletics, common room facilities and miscellaneous expenditure make the fee structure different,” said Dr Arun Kumar, the director of medical education.

A guardian of an MGMMCH Jamshedpur student said that since all the medical colleges function under the guidelines of the state government, their fee structure should have been equal in the interest of students.