Archive · 1 Sep 2026
PDSO Demands Withdrawal of Medical Education Fee Hike
The state government increased fees for medical and dental courses at private colleges.
Undergraduate fees went up by 10 per cent.
Postgraduate and super-speciality fees went up by 15 per cent.
A student group called PDSO said this would make education harder to afford.
It also pointed out that postgraduate fees rose much more than stipends for postgraduate doctors.
PDSO wants the government to cancel the increases.
It also wants more seats in government medical colleges and stronger new institutions.
The government’s reasons for approving the increases were not provided in the article.
PDSO opposed the state government’s medical education fee increases for private unaided colleges in 2026-27.
Undergraduate medical and dental fees were raised by 10 per cent.
Postgraduate and super-speciality course fees were increased by 15 per cent.
PDSO said the hikes would add financial pressure on students and their families.
The organisation demanded withdrawal of the increases and called for more government-college seats and regulated private-college fees.
- Who
- The Progressive Democratic Students’ Organisation (PDSO), including state general secretary A. Suresh, opposed the fee increases.
- What
- The state government increased fees for medical education in private unaided medical and dental colleges, prompting PDSO to demand their withdrawal.
- When
- The increases apply to the 2026-27 academic year.
- Where
- The issue was raised in Visakhapatnam and concerns private unaided medical and dental colleges under the state government’s jurisdiction.
- Why
- PDSO said the increases would burden students and families, who already rely on loans and family resources to pay for medical education.
PDSO’s Position
State Government Decision
Fee increases
PDSO’s Position
PDSO opposes the 10 per cent undergraduate increase and 15 per cent postgraduate and super-speciality increases, saying they create additional financial pressure.
State Government Decision
The state government approved the 10 per cent and 15 per cent increases for the 2026-27 academic year; the article does not state the government’s rationale.
Access to medical education
PDSO’s Position
PDSO says medical education should remain accessible to middle-class and other students and has called for more government-college seats and regulated private-college fees.
State Government Decision
The government’s decision maintains the revised fee structure for private unaided colleges; its position on affordability and access is not provided.
Postgraduate fees and stipends
PDSO’s Position
PDSO criticised the 15 per cent PG fee increase because postgraduate doctors’ stipends rose by only 3 per cent.
State Government Decision
The government implemented the 15 per cent PG fee increase; no response to the stipend comparison is included.
- Affected institutions
- Private unaided medical and dental colleges
- Academic year
- 2026-27
- Undergraduate fee increase
- 10 per cent for medical and dental courses
- Postgraduate and super-speciality increase
- 15 per cent
- Postgraduate doctor stipend increase
- 3 per cent
- Main demand
- Immediate withdrawal of the fee hike
- PDSO proposals
- Increase government-college seats, strengthen new institutions and regulate private-college fees