Karnataka MBBS seats face vacancies due to high costs, report says
High fees in private medical colleges have left 191 MBBS seats vacant despite the state having the largest capacity in India, according to Urban Acres.
Karnataka ended this year's admissions cycle with 191 vacant MBBS seats, even as 1,45,466 candidates registered for medical seats in the state, according to a report by Urban Acres.
The state currently holds the largest MBBS capacity in India with 15,745 seats across 76 colleges, including 1,650 new seats added this year. However, 11,145 of these seats are in private colleges, which account for about 71 per cent of the total capacity.
Dr Bhagavan BC, vice-chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), told the Times of India that while MBBS remains a preferred profession, high costs act as a hindrance.
Fee structures vary significantly, with government medical college normal seats costing Rs 64,350 annually, while NRI quota fees reach Rs 25,09,350. In private colleges, management category fees can be as high as Rs 45 lakh per year at institutions including MS Ramaiah Medical College, Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research.
Career counsellor Al Khwaja, founder of Banjara Academy, said some students are opting for BDS because it offers a more affordable route, noting that all dentistry seats were filled this year.
An office-bearer of the Karnataka Private Medical and Dental Colleges Association suggested that a uniform fee structure across all seats could be considered to control costs and help colleges manage finances.