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Amid widespread unrest over a recent hike in tuition fees and the introduction of a controversial bond policy, the Medical Student Association (MSA), Punjab, met with medical education minister Dr Balbir Singh at Government Medical College, Amritsar, on Friday to register their protest.

The student delegation submitted a memorandum demanding immediate withdrawal of the corrigendum issued by the Punjab government on June 13, 2025. The corrigendum, which implements a 5% annual fee increase and formalises a compulsory service bond, has triggered protests across the state's medical institutions.

"With fees soaring to ₹2.49 lakh annually for government quota students and ₹14.94 lakh for private management quota, we are left to survive on a ₹15,000 stipend - the lowest in the region," said Dr Archit Bawa of the MSA. "If a fee hike is justified annually, why doesn't the stipend increase by the same logic?"

Calling the policy "insensitive and unjust," students argued it would make medical education inaccessible for students from low-income families. Many pointed out that while the state government takes pride in the success of government school students in NEET-UG, a large number may not be able to afford an MBBS seat even in government colleges due to the revised fee structure.

Despite 474 students from government schools clearing NEET-UG this year, financial hurdles now threaten their future. A student from Bathinda's meritorious school who scored 564 marks, and another from Abohar who scored 493, are both eligible for government seats but may not be able to join due to the steep costs. Their fathers work as a tailor and a daily wage labourer, respectively.

According to the revised structure, a student would need to spend nearly ₹10 lakh over the course of an MBBS degree in a government college. When hostel and mess charges are included, the total climbs to ₹13-14 lakh.

In contrast, tuition fees in neighboring states remain significantly lower - around ₹3.19 lakh in Himachal Pradesh and ₹4.5 lakh in Haryana for government colleges.

A government school teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that several meritorious students have opted for medical colleges outside Punjab under the all-India quota due to the more affordable fee structure.

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Punjab medical education department defended the move, calling the 5% hike a "routine annual revision" initiated during the previous government's tenure in 2020. "We didn't introduce a new hike this year - it's a continuation of existing policy," the official claimed.

However, student bodies like the MSA and Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) continue to question the logic. "If quality education is the aim, financial sustainability must also include fair stipends and equitable access," said Dr. Mehtab Bal of RDA Patiala.

Responding to the protests, Dr Balbir Singh assured the students that their concerns would be taken into serious consideration. He reiterated that the government is committed to providing subsidized, quality medical education while acknowledging the need to strike a balance between cost and accessibility.