AIIMS Students' Association supports medical students protesting fee-hike in Haryana

New Delhi: The recent fee hike announced by the Haryana Government has caused a huge political and academic storm with opposition parties joining medical students and aspirants and protesting. AIIMS Students Association Wednesday wrote to the state education ministry regarding the issue as well.

The fee has risen by over 40% and now, candidates have to also submit a "bond fee" annually, bringing the total cost to around Rs 10 lakh per year. Students and politicians are demanding that Haryana's BJP government rollback its November 6 announcement.

Condemning the policy, AIIMS Students' Association said that the recent policy does more harm that the good for medical aspirants in the state. "As the country still struggles in the midst of the pandemic, it is the medical profession which stands between life and death. The importance of this noel profession has been acknowledged world over, but this policy by the Haryana government drives a stake through the heart of this sentiment. Equating education with money? Is that how the profession of medicine will be rewarded," the AIIMS Student Association said.

Meanwhile, Indian Medical Association's Students' Network also wrote to the Haryana Chief Minister asking him to reconsider the steps taken. Speaking to Millennium Post, Simrran Kalra, National Secretary said that the decision will be a death of merit. "I am about to finish my MBBS and got admission through my NEET rank in 2015. I finished my education, including coaching in under 10 lakh, but if a student under this policy has to study they will have to pay nearly 53 lakhs. How is anyone going to pay such a hefty amount," she said.

The revised fee structure will be implemented from this year itself. According to the Haryana Government's November 6 notification, the new fee structure is meant for "incentivizing doctors to opt for Haryana Government Medical Service in any public health institution or Government Medical College to strengthen the medical facilities in the state".