Maharashtra: After NEET Cut-Off Was Lowered To Zero Percentile, PG Medical Fees Rise Sky High

The cut-off of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET-PG) is reduced to zero percentile. Several medical institutions in Maharashtra took advantage of the circumstance by increasing their PG course costs in the middle of the admissions process.

The unexpected increase, which primarily impacts institute and NRI quota seats for non-clinical branches, happened before the third and final regular round of admission when those selected must confirm their assigned seats to continue with the counseling process. Many applicants who have applied to these universities are in a bind since they cannot pay the additional sum that the colleges are asking for.

The raise, which can be between INR 3 lakh to INR 22 lakh, comes days after the Union Health Ministry lowered the qualifying percentile cutoff for NEET-PG to zero across all categories, making all applicants eligible for admission. 

Many of the candidates were relieved by the result, but it also received criticism from other sectors who said it would lower the caliber of medical education. They contend that medical colleges, who sought to fill all of their seats, particularly in the more unpopular non-clinical areas, demanded the relaxation of the admission requirements.

For the 35% institute quota and 15% NRI quota seats in non-clinical areas including pathology, physiology, anesthesiology, and community medicine, the majority of colleges have increased the fees. The state quota fees have also gone up at some colleges. 

Due to the fact that these branches frequently draw fewer students, the colleges had previously set relatively lower prices for them. The increased costs are within the parameters established by the state Fee Regulating Authority (FRA), which permits institutions to charge institute and NRI quota seats four and five times the state quota, respectively.

On October 7, the Medical Counseling Committee of the Directorate General of Health Council Services issued a notice requesting applicants to review the updated college fee schedules prior to submitting an application for the forthcoming stray vacancy round for the All India seats. When they made their selections for the third round of admission, many of the applicants availing in the state admission procedure were unaware of the cost revision.

One applicant claims that he won't be able to pay the costs if he is offered one of the affected seats and will thus be disqualified from the process. This applicant had chosen many of the college specialization combinations that were subject to fee increases. On condition of anonymity, he said, "We didn't know about the revised fees as had referred to the earlier fee structure uploaded by the colleges. Why would one keep checking the college websites? Besides, there was no intimation by the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell. What's our fault?"

Authorities from the cell are unable to intervene and have stated that the issue pertains to FRA. The chairman of FRA, Justice Vijay Achliya (Retd.), stated that the authority has no involvement in the situation. "Within the parameters set by the FRA, colleges are permitted to charge fees. If there is a complaint that the colleges are charging excessive amounts, we will take action," he said.

A medical education counselor, Muzaffar Khan, disagreed, stating that it is unfair to the students to change the costs in the middle of the counseling process. "The colleges increased fees since they understood they could now charge the lower rank candidates, who wouldn't have been chosen earlier, more money. The students would have made educated decisions if the Cell had sent a notice prior to the third round of form filling," he claimed.