^{MBBS seat breaches Rs 1.2 crore on tepid supply}

BENGALURU: With the Medical Council of India closing about 50 colleges in the country, aspirants will have to shell out Rs 50 lakh more for an MBBS seat under the management quota from this year. An undergraduate medical seat that cost about Rs 75 lakh until last year now costs upwards of Rs 1.25 crore. A postgraduate seat in key areas burns a hole of Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore.
The figures quoted for management-quota seats in this story are for the full term of the course.In contrast, merit students doing first-year MBBS course in Karnataka this year will pay a tuition fee of Rs 16,700 in government colleges and Rs 77,500 in private colleges. ComedK -a consortium of private professional colleges -has reportedly finalized a fee of Rs 5.75 lakh for first-year medical students.
An MCI source told TOI this year has been the toughest for medical education. “The churning in entrance tests -the mandatory National Eligibility Entrance Test, for instance -the changes in the regulatory agencies and the closure of medical colleges have cumulatively pushed up the demand for seats,“ a source said. Experts said the unearthing of Rs 43 crore in cash at Bengaluru's Vydehi Medical College and Teaching Hospital last week by the Income Tax department is a confirmation of this trend.
A former vice-chancellor of a health university said: “The poor in the country can no longer dream of pursuing medical education. The private college lobby is entrenched in the system. For years, we've allowed colleges to charge exorbitant fees. The capitation fee industry has grown into a Rs 12,000-crore business. Regulation (of these institutes) is a big joke.“
The absurd pricing of medical seats is the result of a huge supply-demand mismatch. “Why does an MD in Radiology cost Rs 5 crore? Because more students chase limited seats. We've 56,000 MBBS seats and 14,500 PG seats. Is that logical? Of the 14,500 seats, 50% is reserved and the rest is sold,“ explained renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty .

Students coming under the general-merit category are the worst hit. “With state governments having to plead with private colleges for their share of seats every year, it's tough for poor and merit students to get admissions in good colleges. Private colleges rule the medical education sector. We've reached a stage where only students with deep pockets and ready to pay capitation fee can get seats,“ a former member of the MCI said.
According to educationists, the solution is in increased supply of seats. “ A decade ago, one had to pay capitation fee for engineering and nursing courses too. The government opened more engineering colleges, which brought down the cost. We must create surplus medical seats, especially in PG courses,“ Dr Shetty said.
The solutions are simple: Have a like number of UG and PG seats, and convert district hospitals into medical colleges. “This will provide more access to students wishing to pursue medicine, besides changing the economy of the districts. Allow MBBS students to carry out procedures,“ another doctor said.