MBBS fees hike a double blow to meritorious students, middle-class families: Daljit Singh Cheema
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 8, 2026: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Punjab Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema has strongly criticised the Punjab Government’s decision to increase MBBS fees, calling it a “double blow” for meritorious students and middle-class families.
Cheema said medical education was already becoming increasingly expensive, and the latest fee revision would put an additional financial burden on families aspiring to see their children become doctors.
According to him, for the 2026-27 academic session, the total tuition fee for the 5.5-year MBBS course in government medical colleges has increased from Rs 9.98 lakh to Rs 10.83 lakh, an increase of around 8.5 per cent.
The increase in private medical colleges is higher, he said. The fee for government-quota seats has reportedly risen from Rs 21.48 lakh to Rs 25.22 lakh, an increase of around 17.4 per cent. The management-quota fee has gone up from Rs 55.25 lakh to Rs 64.71 lakh, an increase of more than 17 per cent.
Cheema said the fee figures represented a major financial challenge for families, particularly those from the middle class and economically weaker sections.
“Behind every MBBS seat is a meritorious young student and a family that has often spent years saving and making sacrifices to fulfil the child’s dream of becoming a doctor,” he said, adding that steep fee increases could make medical education inaccessible to many deserving students.
Cheema raises concern over doctors’ employment
The SAD leader also questioned the employment opportunities available to young doctors after completion of their medical education.
He said the government was making medical education more expensive while many young doctors entering government service were reportedly being offered contractual or insecure employment with salaries of around Rs 50,000 per month.
Cheema termed the remuneration inadequate in view of doctors’ qualifications, responsibilities and years of education and training.
He warned that the combination of rising medical education costs and limited secure employment opportunities could contribute to a brain drain from Punjab.
“When medical education becomes prohibitively expensive and qualified doctors do not find secure and attractive employment opportunities within the state, the inevitable result is brain drain,” he said.
Demand for fee rollback and scholarships
Cheema urged the Punjab Government to reconsider the fee hike, particularly in government medical colleges, and introduce meaningful financial assistance and scholarships for meritorious students from middle-class and economically weaker families.
He also demanded a comprehensive policy for young doctors, including regular employment, better salaries, transparent recruitment and clear career progression in government healthcare institutions.
“The objective of public policy should be to make quality medical education accessible to meritorious students and to retain doctors in Punjab,” Cheema said, urging the government to review its approach to prevent further pressure on the state’s medical education and healthcare system.