Haryana's Health University Quadruples Exam Fees for Doctors-in-Training, Sparks Outcry

In a move that has sent shockwaves through Haryana's aspiring medical community, the Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences (UHSR) in Rohtak has dramatically hiked examination fee for various medical and paramedical courses, with the steepest increase — an eye-watering 400% — hitting MBBS and BDS students. Effective August 1, 2026, this first fee revision in over a decade has immediately ignited strong opposition from political leaders and student bodies, who warn of an impending financial burden on thousands of future healthcare professionals. The university's decision raises the annual examination fee for MBBS and BDS from Rs 2,500 to a staggering Rs 10,000, while postgraduate medical courses will now cost Rs 20,000 annually. While UHSR Vice-Chancellor Dr. HK Aggarwal defends the revision as a necessary step after ten years, aligning with other states' structures and enhancing examination transparency, critics like former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of the Congress party have labelled it a 'fee-hike bomb' designed to 'fleece' students. This contentious hike, which also includes a 10% annual increase for the next five years and hefty late penalties, comes amidst recent controversies at the university, including a major MBBS exam scam. The Democratic Medical Association (DMA) has already urged the Haryana Government and university authorities for an immediate rollback, emphasizing that access to quality education should not become a financial barrier. With the new structure set to take effect soon, all eyes are on the government's response and whether student protests will escalate, potentially forcing a reconsideration of a policy poised to redefine the affordability of medical education in the state.