NEET PG counselling: deemed university fees up to 1,471% in Tamil Nadu

Postgraduate medical course fees at four Tamil Nadu medical colleges, which recently acquired deemed-to-be university status, have seen increases of up to 1,471% in some cases for the ongoing NEET PG counselling 2026. This significant rise, equivalent to almost 16 times the previous rates, affects clinical branches and has led to renewed calls for government regulation over deemed university fees.

The fee hikes extend beyond Tamil Nadu, with 12 out of 54 medical schools under deemed universities participating in MCC NEET PG counselling 2026 now projected to charge over ₹2 crore in overall tuition fees for three-year MD/MS programmes. The first seat allotment for MCC NEET PG counselling 2026 occurred on October 24, 2026, following the NEET PG 2026 result declaration by NBEMS on September 24, 2026.

Significant Fee Increases at Deemed Universities

The four Tamil Nadu medical colleges, which obtained deemed-university status despite state government opposition, are now charging between ₹25 lakh and ₹55 lakh per annum in tuition fees for clinical branches. For pre- and para-clinical streams (non-clinical), these colleges will charge between zero and ₹15 lakh per annum. This contrasts with the annual fee determined by the TN fee fixation committee for clinical government-quota seats in private self-financed medical colleges, which was ₹3.5 lakh, and ₹3 lakh for non-clinical government-quota seats. Management quota seats at these Tamil Nadu institutes were set at ₹16 lakh for clinical specializations and ₹5 lakh for non-clinical specializations.

In Maharashtra, DY Patil University’s medical college in Navi Mumbai recorded a 24% single-year hike in its MD Radiodiagnosis fee. The MD Radiodiagnosis course at this institution is now reportedly the costliest PG course, with an overall programme cost of ₹2.61 crore. An analysis of fees by Careers360 and Muzaffar Khan indicates that these figures include cumulative tuition fees for the three-year course and major one-time admission charges, excluding hostel and mess fees. Fees for 15% Non-Resident Indian (NRI)-quota seats are significantly higher across institutes.

The following table illustrates the annual tuition fee ranges for various deemed university PG medical colleges:

Demands for Government Intervention and Past Precedents

The latest cycle of fee hikes has intensified demands for greater government control over the fees charged by deemed medical colleges. Sithara H.M. of the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) stated, “At this juncture, we cannot even take this issue to streets and the government is suppressing dissent using the lockdown as a shield.” Priyanka J.P., another student, expressed frustration, saying, “This is undemocratic and unfair, that too when there is complete lockdown. We hardly have any time to think and plan.” She added, “However, everything has changed now and I will have to change my plans accordingly.”

In 2017, the Madras High Court directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Education Ministry to establish a fee regulation committee for deemed university colleges, indicating a recurring concern over fee structures. The Office of the Director General, Medical Education and Training (DGME), Uttar Pradesh, issued an order on December 16, 2025, detailing provisional fee structures for NEET PG 2025 admissions in six private medical colleges. For UP NEET PG 2025, provisional annual fees were ₹25,08,698 for Clinical Courses, ₹13,68,036 for Pre-Clinical Courses, and ₹10,26,562 for Non-Clinical Courses.

The Karnataka government, in 2020, hiked PG medical and dental fees for institutional quota by 30% and government quota seats by 20% for the 2020-21 academic year. M.R. Jayaram, chairman of Ramaiah Medical College, noted their demand was a 40-50% hike, and while a committee recommended 30-40%, they received less. S. Kumar, Chancellor of Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education & Research, observed that the government was likely attempting to narrow the fee gap between RGUHS-affiliated private colleges and deemed universities.

Counselling and Fee Setting Mechanisms

Admission to postgraduate medical programmes is conducted via the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for PG (NEET PG exam). Counselling for 100% of deemed-university seats is managed centrally by the Medical Counselling Commission (MCC) of the health ministry’s Directorate General of Health Services. Private deemed universities possess broad academic and administrative autonomy, which allows them to charge higher fees compared to state-affiliated colleges.

The comparison of MD MS fees by seat type highlights the differences in counselling, fee setting, domicile requirements, and typical costs:

Candidates are advised to confirm each college’s current MD/MS fee on the MCC portal and the university’s official website before making their choices. Aspirants should check college websites carefully, not rely on verbal promises, and keep screenshots, circulars, or official PDFs for verification. Daily tracking of official MCC and state counselling portals for updates is also recommended.

Further reading

• NEET PG 2026 Jharkhand provisional merit list released: submit corrected documents by November 1
• Kerala NEET PG provisional merit list released, submit complaints by October 29
• NEET PG cutoff: previous closing ranks and marks Next step
• AIIMS INI CET November 2026 admit cards released: download now
• FMGE October 2026: Download admit card by October 27; exam on October 31
• NEET UG 2026: Apply for private MBBS seats now; fees slashed up to 40% Applications open

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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