How medical education in India is pricing out future doctors and talent

Business Standard

15 hours ago

The cost of becoming a doctor in India has increased significantly over the years. For many, the financial burden begins with years of entrance exam preparation, continues through expensive medical degrees, and often requires loans or family sacrifices. The growing expenses are now shaping who is able to pursue a medical career and who is left behind. As India observes National Doctors' Day on Tuesday, we speak with doctors to know the cost of becoming a doctor in the country, a dream that many have as kids.
How early does the financial burden of medical education begin?
According to doctors, it is not just the MBBS fees as the journey starts much earlier and costs pile up fast.
Dr Manisha Arora, Director of Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, explained that most medical aspirants start spending big on NEET coaching as early as Class 9 or 11. That's four to five years of intensive private tuition before even entering medical school.
Government MBBS colleges: ₹5 to ₹10 lakh
Private medical colleges: ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore
Postgraduate specialisation: Adds several more lakh
Add to this the coaching, entrance exam costs, living expenses, and a decade-long commitment, and you're looking at a career that can feel financially out of reach for many.
Do some students abandon their dreams due to cost?
Unfortunately, yes. Dr Arora shared heartbreaking stories of talented peers who walked away from their medical ambitions simply because their families couldn't afford it. Some even switched to lower-cost alternatives like Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS).
'The financial pressure was overwhelming. I've seen brilliant students abandon medicine just because their parents couldn't pay the fees,' she said.
How do families fund a medical degree in India?
According to Dr Arora, it is only about loans, sacrifices, and hustling.
Many young doctors, like Dr Arora and her peers, took education loans, often at high interest rates. Some parents sold assets, borrowed heavily, or slashed family expenses to keep one child's dream alive.
Others worked part-time in hospitals while studying to repay loan instalments. The pressure doesn't stop after graduation, it often shapes the rest of their careers.
Are less affluent students being excluded from medical education?
Dr Mayank Singh, Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at Aiims, Delhi, said that today's medical classrooms are increasingly filled with students from affluent families.
'Earlier, all sections of society were represented. Now, I see many students coming from financially privileged backgrounds,' he observed.
He warned that students from low-income families often struggle with both fees and the cost of living in metro cities where most medical colleges are based. 'This financial barrier is quietly narrowing who gets to wear the white coat,' he said.
Are specialisations now chosen for income over interest?
Sadly, yes. Dr Arora pointed out that the financial burden pushes young doctors toward high-paying specialisations, not necessarily their passion.
'Community medicine, rural service, family health, and other such services often get sidelined because they don't pay enough to cover hefty education loans,' she said.
Dr Singh agreed. He noted that many doctors now gravitate toward private hospitals in metro cities, especially after pursuing super-specialisations like DM (Doctorate of Medicine) and MCh (Master of Chirurgiae), because that's where the money is. Smaller cities and rural areas remain underserved.
Is current financial aid enough to support medical aspirants?
Both doctors said: Not really.
While scholarships and education loans exist, they're often hard to access or come with punishing interest rates and rigid repayment timelines.
Dr Singh emphasised that low-interest or interest-free education loans are crucial, especially for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.