Guwahati, Oct 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal on Saturday defended the state government's decision to increase MBBS course fees, arguing that the revised charges remained considerably lower than the cost of medical education at private institutions.
He said the new fee structure had been linked to students' annual family income to ensure that medical education remained accessible to economically weaker sections.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Singhal said students pursuing medical education at private institutions could end up paying around Rs 40 lakh, while the increase introduced by the state government was relatively modest.
"Yes, the fees have been increased. Why? Because it was a decision of the government. In private institutes, people are paying Rs 40 lakh for it. We have made a very small increase," the minister said.
Under the revised fee structure, MBBS students belonging to families with an annual income exceeding Rs 9 lakh will have to pay Rs 1 lakh per year. Those from families earning between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 9 lakh annually will pay Rs 50,000, while students whose family income is below Rs 4 lakh will be charged Rs 5,000 annually.
The income-based arrangement is intended to differentiate the financial burden on students according to their family's economic circumstances, with the lowest fee applicable to those from the poorest households.
The decision comes amid wider concerns over the affordability of medical education and the need to expand access to professional courses in Assam, where the development of medical infrastructure is also crucial to strengthening healthcare delivery.
Separately, Singhal highlighted the government's efforts to make specialised medical treatment more affordable for patients, particularly those suffering from kidney-related ailments.
He said Assam witnessed around 33 to 34 kidney transplants last year, with the cost of each procedure ranging between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.
According to the minister, the expenses were covered through the Pradhan Mantri Arogya Nidhi and Mukhya Mantri Arogya Nidhi schemes. Singhal further said more than 30 new dialysis centres had been opened across the state during the past three months, expanding treatment facilities for patients requiring regular dialysis.
The minister's remarks underscored the government's stated focus on balancing medical education costs with affordable access to specialised healthcare, even as the revised MBBS fees are likely to remain a subject of public discussion.
Source: IANS
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