48 Postgraduate Medical Seats Vacant in Gujarat Private Colleges Amid High Fee Concerns
In Ahmedabad, a significant number of postgraduate medical seats in private colleges are lying vacant this year, with experts pointing to prohibitively high fees as a major contributing factor. A total of 48 seats across various specialties, including radiology, gynaecology, orthopaedics, and paediatrics, remain unfilled, highlighting a critical issue in medical education accessibility.
Exorbitant Fees Deter Aspirants
The fees for these vacant seats are staggering, with some courses demanding amounts that place them out of reach for many students. For instance, radiology seats require Rs 61 lakh, dermatology Rs 47 lakh, orthopaedics and gynaecology Rs 45 lakh each, paediatrics and surgery Rs 44 lakh each, and emergency medicine Rs 28 lakh. These figures represent some of the highest costs in the private medical education sector, making it difficult for qualified candidates to secure admissions despite their merit.
One of the Highest Vacancy Rates in Recent Years
According to officials, all the vacant seats are in privately run medical colleges, and this year's figure is among the highest recorded in recent years for postgraduate medical courses. The state's admission committee has already completed four rounds of admissions, with the process officially concluding on February 28 after running for approximately two months. Details of vacant seats under the all-India quota in Gujarat are expected to be released soon.
Seat Addition and Merit Discrepancies
Experts attribute part of the vacancy issue to the addition of seats at various medical colleges, both government and private, following directives from the National Medical Commission (NMC) after the second round of admissions. While this move aimed to provide more opportunities for PG medical aspirants, it reportedly created discrepancies in the merit-based selection process.
Dr. Akash Patel, who secured a PG seat in orthopaedics at a South Gujarat medical college after two rounds, explained the situation: "Afterwards, the new seats were added. It resulted in several students who were behind in the merit list getting better colleges and courses. Many students who had already secured admission did not opt for cancellation and re-admission as it would require both time and money in terms of transfer fees." He suggested that students who secured admission earlier should be given a chance to reconsider their choices when new seats are introduced.
Admission Statistics and Expert Insights
This year, Gujarat had 5,900 medical students who qualified through NEET-PG competing for 3,425 seats in state-based medical colleges, including 800 all-India quota seats. The revised merit criteria required 110 marks for the open quota and 0 for some categories, a shift from the earlier 50% benchmark.
A dean of a prominent medical college in Gujarat, speaking anonymously, noted that the overall pool includes about 1,200 seats in government-run medical colleges across the country. "The vacancies have been recorded in private institutions, and high fees could be one of the reasons," the dean stated. Admission committee officials also confirmed that the number of vacancies in core medical courses is unusually high this year, with low chances of filling branches like orthopaedics, radiology, or surgery, though some seats may remain vacant in less competitive fields such as pharmacology, community medicine, and forensic medicine.
This situation underscores the challenges in balancing seat availability with affordability in India's medical education landscape, particularly in the private sector where financial barriers can limit access to essential healthcare training.
