of National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a strict advisory to medical colleges across India, directing them not to charge MBBS fees for the entire duration of five or five-and-a-half years and to limit fee collection strictly to the prescribed academic period of 4.5 years.
The clarification comes after the Commission received complaints that some institutions were charging students for the entire duration of the course, including the internship period.
Fee for academic studies only, not internship
In its public notice dated April 7, 2026, the NMC termed the practice as inconsistent with the structure of the MBBS programme.
“It has been pointed out… that some Medical Colleges… are charging fees for the entire duration of five years or five-and-a-half years… Such practices are inconsistent with the prescribed academic structure,” the notification said.
The commission clarified that MBBS the course consists of 4.5 years (54 months) of academic study, followed by 1 year of mandatory rotating medical internship (CRMI).
Since the internship does not involve formal classroom instruction, charging fees for this period is not justified.
The NMC also referred to numerous Supreme Court judgments to underline that tariff structures must remain fair and non-exploitative. Charging students for non-academic periods violates these principles, the Commission noted.
Clear directive for all medical institutions
Issuing a strong directive, the Commission stated, “All Medical Colleges… are directed that the fee for the MBBS course will be charged only for the prescribed academic duration of 4½ years.”
He further warned that any violation of these norms would call for strict action under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and relevant regulations.
Why this matters to students
The move is expected to bring relief to thousands of MBBS aspirants and students, especially in private medical colleges where fee structures have long been a concern. By clearly separating academic fees from internship duration, NMC has reinforced that:
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Students do not have to pay for non-teaching periods.
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Practice should not be monetized.
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Institutions must harmonize fee practices with legal and regulatory standards.
The advisory comes at a time when the cost of medical education in India is under close scrutiny, with concerns over high fees, lack of transparency and issues around internship salaries.
Since NEET-UG is the only entrance exam for medical colleges and thousands of students appear for it every year, clearer fee rules are expected to affect a large number of students.
