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The fee in Punjab government medical colleges is among the highest when compared to the neighbouring states. The annual MBBS fee in Punjab was Rs 13,000 in 2010, which currently is Rs 1.56 lakh. The fee in Haryana ranges from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000. In Rohtak’s PGI, the annual fee is Rs 38,600. In Rajasthan, the annual fee is Rs 33,500, according to the state Medical Education Department. In Himachal, which has set up four new government colleges in two years, the fee is Rs 60,000. In Chandigarh, it is Rs 23,000. The fee for the five-year course in Punjab from this session will amount to Rs 7.8 lakh. Earlier, it was Rs 4.4 lakh. Raj Bahadur, Vice Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, says people are ready to pay lakhs for school admission, so why they can’t pay for MBBS. “To provide good infrastructure and impart quality education, the government needs funds, so the fee has been hiked. When asked about the poor being deprived of medical education, he says, “We will consider financial help if there is a genuine case.” Medical Education Minister OP Soni says, “There is not much hike in the fee. The cost of new equipment required for medical education has increased, forcing us to increase the fee.” When asked about the new Government Medical College at Mohali, he says, “We are facing problems due to coronavirus. We are doing our best to start it this year.”