Medical Education is one of the most popular yet costly education courses in India. The college fee for medical education varies depending on the type of institution i.e. private or public colleges. You can expect a higher college fee for private colleges and a lower fee for government colleges but there is a lot of competition in getting into the government medical institutes. So to get into medical colleges you must go through medical entrance examinations.
The entrance examination is very tough and highly competitive. There are around 70,000 seats available for the NEET examination throughout the country and each year lakhs of students apply for NEET. This high competitiveness makes it tough as well as costly for candidates to bear the cost of medical colleges.
In this article, we will discuss more on the medical education cost in India and also find alternative options for candidates to pursue medical education.
Medical Courses in India
The following are the medical courses that you can pursue to become a doctor-
- MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery)
- BDS (Bachelor of Dental Sciences)
- BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery)
- BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery)
- DHMS (Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery)
- BUMS (Bachelor in Unani Medicine)
- B.V.Sc & AH (Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry)
- B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy)
- D. Pharma (Diploma of Pharmacy)
- BOT (Bachelor of Occupational Therapy)
- BMLT (Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Technology)
- BPT (Bachelor of Physiotherapy)
- B.Sc. Nursing (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
- BNYS (Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences)
List of Medical Entrance Exams in India
National-Level Medical Entrance Exam
| NEET | MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, veterinary, and other medical/paramedical courses | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| NEET PG | MD/MS/PG Diploma/DNB post-MBBS | National Board of Examinations (NBE) |
| NEET MDS | MDS/PG Diploma (Dental) | National Board of Examinations (NBE) |
| AIAPGET | MD, MS, PG Diploma (AYUSH courses) | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| FMGE | Licensing Examination | National Board of Examinations (NBE) |
| DNB PDCET | DNB | National Board of Examinations (NBE) |
| NEET SS | DM, MCh | National Board of Examinations (NBE) |
| FET | FNB | National Board of Examinations |
| Institute-Level Medical Entrance Exam | ||
| AIIMS PG | MD, MS, DM, M.Ch, MDS | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi |
| JIPMER PG | MD, MS, MDS | Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research |
| PGIMER | MD, MS | Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh |
| AIIMS SS | DM, MCh, MD(Hospital Administration) | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi |
| PGIMER (Other) | DM, MCh, MD(Hospital Administration), MPH, PGDPHM, MDS(House Job) | Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh |
| NIMHANS | MD, DM, M.Ch | National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences |
Why Medical Education is so Costly?
Well, it is costly only for private colleges and government colleges are quite affordable but the problem is the increased competition and lack of seats. The 4-year fee of medical colleges in India for private colleges or Deemed Universities can be up to 1 Cr. whereas for government colleges the highest fee for a 4-year program is 3-4 Lakhs. Getting into medical college is tough and requires a very good score in the above-mentioned examinations. Therefore, you need to study hard for the entrance test. For paying the fee, you can also take a student loan which could give you funds for your education. There are also scholarships available for those students who are good at studies.
Student Loans for Medical Education
Scholarships for Medical Students
Medical Education is considered to be the most expensive and prestigious examination in india. To make it more affordable many private as well as government organization offers students with scholarships. You can also avail the scholarship by registering yourself and meeting the eligibility. The following are the list of scholarship provided by both private and government organization based on merit-cum need-based and financial assistance-
| Scholarship Name | About | Eligibility | Award |
| Swami Vivekananda Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Minorities | This scholarship supports the study of minority community students who are domiciles of West Bengal and studying in class 11th to PG level.The main agenda of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance to economically backward students. | The annual income of the family should be less than Rs 2.5 lakh. Students must meet the minimum eligibility criteria. | Rs. 12,000 to 60,000 (Annually) |
| HDFC Bank Educational Crisis Scholarship | The scholarship is mainly for students who are unable to bear the cost of education and are at high risk to drop out due to the Personal/ Financial Crisis.This scholarship is one of the top-most Medical Scholarships in India as most of the students fear the high cost of medical education in India. | Students who are pursuing Class 6 to 12, diploma, polytechnic, ITI, UG/PG can apply for this scholarship. Must be facing financial/personal crisis that took place during the past three years at the time of application. | Rs. 10,000 to 25,000 |
| Nationwide Education and Scholarship Test (NEST Senior) | One of the most popular scholarships among Medical and Science students to pursue MBBSMBBS/BAMS/BHMS/BDS and other courses. | Students of Class 12 (science), engineering diploma, or Science/ engineering/ Medical degree courses are eligible for the NEST scholarship. | Rs. 50,000 (tuition fee) |
| Vahani Scholarship | Vahani is an NPO that is well known for scholarships to medical students in India belonging to the economically weaker section.A total of 20 seats are offered per year. | Students of class 12 (PCB) stream. Selection is done on the basis of academic excellence financial/personal crisis. | Full tuition fee/ accommodation |
| Dr Abdul Kalam Scholarship for Medical Students | One of the prestigious medical scholarships, it was introduced with an aim to offer financial assistance to the students from EWS to students appearing for the national level medical entrance exam. | Must have passed Class 12 examination with a minimum 55% marks Must appear for the national-level medical entrance exam Family income should be less than Rs. 6 Lacs per annum. | RS. 20,000 |
| L’Oréal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship | This scholarship is for girl students with an objective to promote and support higher education in India who are not financially strong. | For medical students to avail of this scholarship, they must have passed class 12 examination or equivalent with a minimum of 85 percent in PCB/ PCMB. The annual income of the family should be less then R.4 Lacs per annum. Maximum Age: Not more than 19 years on the date of application | Rs. 2.5 Lacs ( for graduation) |
| Swami Dayanand Education Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | Apart from medical students in India, the scholarship is offered to pursue Pharmacy, Engineering, IT courses from both government/private institutions in India. | Must have passed 10+2 with a minimum of 75% aggregate. Must have appeared in the competitive entrance exam. Family income should be less than Rs.6 Lacs per annum. | Rs.50,000 (annually) |
| Keep India Smiling Foundational Scholarship Programme | This scholarship to the medical students is offered by Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd with an aim to support deserving and meritorious students | Students studying in Class 11/ Graduation/ Diploma/ BE/ B.Tech/ BDS/ Vocational courses, sportspersons can apply for this scholarship in online mode | Rs.75,000 (annually) |
| Dr. Shamanur Shivashankarappa Janakalyana Trust’s Scholarship Program | The scholarships are for students who are native of Karnataka to support them to pursue higher education in the field of medicine | Candidate must have passed 10+2 and family income with less than Rs. 1 LPA. Must be a native of Karnataka | – |
Foreign Colleges and Universities for Medical Education
For medical students, there is an opportunity for you to go outside India to study for becoming a doctor. Each year thousands of students go outside India and take admissions in the medical colleges of foreign countries. The admission process is different for different countries and you have to meet certain criteria. To study abroad, you have to pass the TOFEL test which is an English efficiency test for checking your English skills and a minimum of 50% in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in their 12th standard.
Famous Destination for the Medical Students
| Top Countries | Total Fee for MBBS Course |
| Ukraine | Rs. 20 – 28 Lacs |
| Russia | Rs. 25 – 35 Lacs |
| Germany | Rs. 15 – 20 Lacs |
| Belarus | Rs. 25 – 35 Lacs |
| Poland | Rs. 25 – 35 Lacs |