A super-speciality medical college is hardly the first choice for super brains in the state.

Exorbitant tuition fees compounded with an uncertain future over the course de-recognition step came as a shock to MBBS aspirants for the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS).

Sources from the Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board — which holds the counselling session and allots seats in state-run medical colleges — said the MBBS seats of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) were filled up much before the IGIMS.

IGIMS shared the third position with Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital — where infrastructure is worse than IGIMS — in filling up the MBBS seats. The fifth and sixth preference of students were Gaya-based Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital and Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur, respectively.

“The IGIMS was the third preference of students for the MBBS. MBBS seats of the PMCH were filled up within first two days of admission followed by the NMCH. However, it took six to eight days to fill up the MBBS seats at the IGIMS,” said Anil Kumar, officer on special duty, Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board.

The IGIMS was given permission to admit students for its 100 MBBS seats only after the chief secretary’s undertaking to the MCI. “The students feel that if the IGIMS faces de-recognition again, what will happen to their career,” said an IGIMS professor.

Another IGIMS professor said: “The high fee structure (see chart) has also played a role among students to lose interest in the institute.”

Satish Kumar (name changed), a student who could clinch a seat at the PMCH, said: “The IGIMS has faced de-recognition and I would have to pay a much higher fee there compared to the PMCH for which I would have to take loan.”

Sunil Kumar Singh, ophthalmologist and vice-president of the JD(U) medical cell said, “The IGIMS and state government should take steps for alleviating the MBBS fees so that poor meritorious students don’t have to face problems.”

Total MBBS seats: 100
Annual fees: Rs 1 lakh
Annual fees at other government medical colleges: Rs 10000
Why huge difference: Semi-autonomous college
Super-speciality hospital
Specialised courses like Diplomate of National Board (DNB), Doctor of Medicine (DM) and Master of Chirurgical (MCh)
Faculty from reputable institutes like AIIMS New Delhi and PGI Chandigarh & LucknowBetter laboratory facilities
Advanced equipment