TAFRC Warns Telangana Medical Colleges Against Demanding Five-Year Fees Upfront

The Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC) in Hyderabad has issued a stern warning to private medical colleges across the state against demanding five-year tuition fees upfront from students.

In a circular issued on Friday, the committee condemned coercive fee collection practices following mounting representations from students and parents. The complaints highlighted severe harassment faced by MBBS students admitted from the 2020 block period onward.

According to the regulatory body, several private medical college managements demanded the entire five-year tuition fee upfront rather than collecting it through prescribed academic instalments.

The TAFRC noted that institutions engaged in various coercive measures during fee disputes, such as barring students from attending lectures, blocking biometric attendance, restricting access to campuses, and withholding examination hall tickets.

Furthermore, the committee revealed that college authorities were collecting amounts intended for student stipends without actually disbursing the funds to the students, or alternatively coercing students to return stipend payments partially or completely after disbursement.

Clarifying the regulatory framework, the TAFRC stated that the MBBS curriculum spans 4.5 years across nine semesters. Because the internship period does not involve academic instruction, tuition fees can strictly be collected only for the 4.5-year academic duration.

The committee mandated that total course fees must be divided into five equal instalments across the duration of the programme to alleviate financial hardship on families. In Telangana, private medical college Category B course fees range from approximately Rs 51.97 lakh to Rs 63 lakh for the 4.5-year span, with annual tuition charges falling between Rs 11.55 lakh and Rs 14.50 lakh per academic year.

Terming the violations a matter of serious concern, the TAFRC warned that stringent action would be initiated against non-compliant college managements. The regulator also ordered institutions that have already collected excess tuition fees for a fifth year to immediately refund the money to affected students.