To improve the financial conditions of state-run Medical colleges, the Karnataka government has plans to enhance the admission fee for both postgraduate as well as for UG medical courses in the state, minister for Medical Education D K Shivakumar informed the Legislative Council on December 18.

Replying to S V Sankanur (BJP) here, the Minister said that the fees collected in the government medical colleges are far less than being paid by the students in private colleges. The cost of maintaining colleges are high in Government Medical institutions. The collection from patients in these institutions are also less as compared to private colleges.

He said that there is a proposal to increase MBBS course fee from the present Rs 17000 to Rs 50000 and that of PG courses from Rs 50000 to Rs 3 lakhs. However, a final decisions is yet to be taken on the issue, it is only a proposal before the Ministry. The Minister said that there is also a growing demand from the staff of both nursing and non-nursing working in the Medical colleges for hike in their salaries.