Medical Education in Gujarat Now Costs as Much as Studying in Russia and Georgia

June 2025

Medical education in Gujarat has become as expensive as pursuing an MBBS degree in countries like Russia and Georgia, following a significant fee hike in private and semi-government medical colleges. The sharp increase has triggered criticism from medical associations, educators, and political leaders, who warn that the rising costs may push more Indian students to seek affordable medical education abroad.

According to reports, the Fee Regulation Committee (FRC) has revised medical course fees upward by up to 12%, placing management quota seats in some private colleges above ₹1 crore, while even government quota seats in certain institutions now exceed ₹57 lakh. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed concern that such pricing makes medical education inaccessible for many deserving students.

An Ahmedabad-based immigration consultant told The Times of India that before the Russia–Ukraine conflict, Ukraine was a preferred destination for medical aspirants from Gujarat and across India. “Even today, nearly 15,000 students from Gujarat pursue medical education abroad every year,” the consultant said, highlighting the growing trend.

Experts note that countries such as Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Nepal, and Bangladesh offer full medical degrees at significantly lower costs and with fewer academic barriers compared to Indian private colleges. These destinations also provide structured coaching for licensure exams like the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) for practice in India. Students opting for Europe or the US typically prepare for exams such as USMLE and PLAB.

Educationists argue that despite an increase in MBBS seats, Gujarat has not seen the establishment of new government-run medical colleges in the last decade. As a result, students who fail to secure government quota seats are left with limited options—either enrolling in high-cost private institutions or pursuing MBBS abroad.

Students prepare for NEET for two or more years and then compete fiercely for limited government seats. When education costs run into lakhs and crores, expecting doctors to serve society selflessly becomes unfair. Aspirants deserve a level-playing field,” an education expert remarked. With rising domestic costs and affordable international alternatives, experts believe the recent fee hike will further accelerate the outflow of Indian medical aspirants to foreign universities.