Ahmedabad: For Meman Mohammad Shaikh, a resident of Salad village in Vadodara district, a confirmed admission at a private medical college came with a hefty price tag which his family could ill afford. The open-category candidate secured admission at Parul University, but the annual fee of about Rs 10 lakh made him abandon his long-held dream to study medicine.“My family cannot afford paying such exorbitant fees. I am now looking at a BHMS or BAMS course at another institute, where the annual fees of around Rs 2 lakh fit our budget,” said Meman, whose father runs a saree shop in Salad near Vadodara. “I have secured a government scholarship of about Rs 2 lakh and expect another Rs 2 lakh as financial assistance from my community. Despite this, my family will have to bear Rs 6 lakh for the first year itself and then Rs 10 lakh subsequently every year if I pursue the medical course,” he explains.Meman is among 771 students who were allotted MBBS or BDS seats in the first two rounds of Gujarat’s UG medical and dental counselling but have failed to confirm their admissions, according to data from the state Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC).“Students leaving confirmed seats in MBBS and BDS courses in such high numbers is unprecedented,” said a senior member of the medical admission committee.High fees have emerged as a key concern among students weighing whether to accept their allotted seats or wait for the next round, officials said. Several students said they were considering dental, pharmacy, Ayurveda and homeopathy courses where the fee burden is lower.Uday Karavadra, who scored 421 in NEET and was allotted a seat at SAL Medical College, Ahmedabad, also declined admission in MBBS. “The annual fee of Rs 11.68 lakh would have taken the five-year cost to nearly Rs 55 lakh. My father is a farmer and under no circumstances can we afford such a high fee,” he said. Karavadra is now considering studying Ayurveda.For Heer Nai, the choice was between a medical seat and an affordable alternative. “She secured a seat at NHL Municipal Medical College but did not want to pursue medicine at a private college where the annual fee could be around Rs 24 lakh. She has instead opted for Pharm D at LM Pharmacy, where the annual fee is about Rs 2 lakh,” said Yagnesh, Heer’s father. “NEET score is good, but there has to be a budget for medical education. We cannot afford it.”Others are holding on for the third round. Deven Yatri, who secured a seat at SMIMER with a NEET score of 335, is hoping for an upgrade because a fee of around Rs 24 lakh a year for management-quota seats in Surat is unaffordable.Hitanshi Kalyani, who scored 322 in NEET in the open category, also did not confirm her medical seat at Kalol Medical College, after being offered a management-quota option costing more than Rs 24 lakh a year. “I run a scrap business. The fees are too high. My daughter plans to add more general-quota options in Ahmedabad in the third round as the fees are not affordable,” said Ram Prakash Kalyani, her father.Fees are not the only factor. Some students also cited the long duration of medical education, the additional years required for specialisation and concerns over ragging. For some families, these factors add to the financial pressure of choosing medicine. The third round is now being watched by students seeking govt-quota or other lower-fee options.Kanav Dholakia, whose parents are dental surgeons in Anand, secured a seat at MP Shah Medical College, Jamnagar. “He has, however, confirmed admission at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, through the All India Quota. The fee there is about Rs 17 lakh a year. Kanav wants to pursue clinical research rather than conventional medical practice. The institution offers greater research exposure,” said Dr Soham Dholakiya, his father.
