The Kerala Government has issued an order revising how MBBS course fees can be charged in the state's Government and Self-Financing Medical Colleges. Following a directive from the National Medical Commission (NMC), the state has ruled that colleges can collect fees only for the four-and-a-half-year (54-month) academic portion of the MBBS course — not for the additional one-year compulsory rotating internship that follows it. This is a policy clarification, not a new admission schedule: it affects students currently studying MBBS in Kerala as well as those being admitted, and it comes tangled up in an ongoing court case over refunds of fees already collected. If you are a NEET UG aspirant planning to join an MBBS seat in Kerala, or a parent tracking what a college is allowed to charge, this order matters directly to your fee planning.
Kerala has ordered that MBBS colleges in the state may charge tuition fees only for the 4.5-year academic duration of the course, excluding the one-year internship — but refund of fees already collected in excess is on hold because the Kerala High Court has stayed the NMC's refund directive for three months, pending final judgment.
What the government order actually does
This is a Government Order (G.O.(Rt)No.2326/2026/H&FWD, dated 17-07-2026) issued by Kerala's Health and Family Welfare Department. It applies to the fee structure for students who are currently pursuing MBBS, as well as those being admitted to MBBS, in both Government Medical Colleges and Self-Financing Medical Colleges across the state.
The core instruction is simple: the MBBS course fee must be collected only for the prescribed academic duration of four and a half years (54 months). Colleges cannot charge tuition fee for the one-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) that follows the academic years, because internship is not academic instruction in the same sense — it is supervised clinical practice.
Why 4.5 years and not 5.5 years
Under the Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) Guidelines 2024, framed under the Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER) and backed by Sections 10 and 24 of the National Medical Commission Act 2019, the MBBS programme is structured as four and a half years of academic study followed by one year of compulsory rotating internship.
Because the internship year is a separate, statutorily distinct phase (interns are meant to be paid a stipend for their clinical work, not charged tuition), the NMC held that charging full-course fees as though the internship year were another year of paid academic study is not permitted. This is the reasoning the Kerala order adopts wholesale from the NMC's Public Notice.
How this started: the NMC's national directive
The trigger for Kerala's order is a Public Notice (No. CDN-13011/1/2026, dated 07.04.2026) issued by the Secretary, National Medical Commission, addressed to all Medical Colleges, Institutions and Universities across India. It directed that MBBS fees be charged only for the 4.5-year academic duration, and warned that any non-compliance would be viewed seriously with action initiated by the Commission under existing statutory and regulatory provisions.
Following this, the Deputy Secretary, NMC (UGMEB wing) wrote to Kerala's Director of Medical Education on 06.06.2026, directing immediate action to refund any excess fees already collected by colleges in the state in line with the April notice.
The court stay: why refunds are on hold
Before Kerala could act on the refund directive, the Secretary of M.O.S.C Medical Hospital, Kolancherry, filed a writ petition (WP(C) No. 16663 of 2026) challenging the NMC's refund letter. On 19.06.2026, the Kerala High Court passed an interim order staying that NMC letter for a period of three months. The Court also allowed the petitioner college to continue collecting fees as fixed by the Fee Regulatory Committee, for the time being.
This means that while the principle of '4.5-year fee only' has been accepted and ordered by the state government, the actual refund of any excess fee already charged by colleges will depend on the final outcome of this court case, not on an immediate administrative refund.
What the order instructs for the two types of colleges
The order treats Government Medical Colleges and Self-Financing Medical Colleges slightly differently in terms of next steps, even though the core fee-duration rule applies to both.
- Government and Self-Financing Medical Colleges: must collect MBBS course fees only for the 4.5-year (54-month) academic duration, as mandated by the NMC — effective immediately per this order.
- Self-Financing Medical Colleges specifically: the Fee Regulatory Committee for Medical Education in Kerala has been tasked with taking necessary steps to fix the actual fee structure (the fee amount/tiers) for these colleges, in line with the NMC's directions.
- Refund of excess fees already collected: will be decided based on the final judgment of the Kerala High Court in WP(C) No. 16663 of 2026 — not settled by this order.
What this means for you as a student or parent
If you are currently studying MBBS in a Kerala medical college, or about to join one through KEAM/NEET-UG counselling, this order means your college should not bill you for tuition fee during your internship year — fee liability is capped at the 4.5-year academic period.
If your college has already charged you fees covering the internship year or a longer duration, do not expect an automatic refund right now. The refund question is legally tied to a pending Kerala High Court case, and the outcome could take time. Keep your fee receipts and admission documents safe, as they may be needed to claim any refund once the matter is resolved.
Key dates and references at a glance
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 07.04.2026 | NMC Public Notice: MBBS fee to be charged only for 4.5-year academic duration |
| 13.05.2026 | Director of Medical Education, Kerala, writes on the matter (Letter DME/3857/2026-B1) |
| 06.06.2026 | NMC Deputy Secretary directs DME to refund excess fees collected by Kerala colleges |
| 19.06.2026 | Kerala High Court stays NMC's refund letter for 3 months in WP(C) No. 16663 of 2026 |
| 17.07.2026 | Kerala Government issues G.O.(Rt)No.2326/2026/H&FWD ordering 4.5-year fee structure |
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Does this order reduce my total MBBS fee?
It restricts what colleges can charge fee for — only the 4.5-year academic period, not the one-year internship. If a college had been charging fee across the full 5.5 years including internship, that internship-year charge is no longer permitted going forward.
Will I get a refund if my college already charged me for the internship year?
Not immediately. The Kerala High Court has stayed the NMC's refund directive for three months (from 19.06.2026), and the order states that refund of excess fees will depend on the final judgment in WP(C) No. 16663 of 2026. There is no automatic refund process announced yet.
Does this apply to Government Medical Colleges or only Self-Financing ones?
It applies to both Government Medical Colleges and Self-Financing Medical Colleges in Kerala. However, the actual fee structure for Self-Financing colleges is still to be fixed by the Fee Regulatory Committee based on the NMC's directions.
What is the Fee Regulatory Committee and what is it doing next?
It is the body responsible for setting fees at Self-Financing Medical Colleges in Kerala. Under this order, it must now fix the fee structure for these colleges in line with the NMC's mandate that fees cover only the 4.5-year academic duration.
Why is fee being charged only for 4.5 years and not the full course length?
Under CBME Guidelines 2024 and NMC regulations, the MBBS course academic study lasts four and a half years, followed by a separate one-year compulsory rotating internship (CRMI). The NMC has clarified that tuition fee corresponds only to the academic study period, not the internship year.
What is the Kerala High Court case about, and does it affect current admissions?
The case (WP(C) No. 16663 of 2026) was filed by a private medical college (M.O.S.C Medical Hospital, Kolancherry) challenging the NMC's refund directive. The Court has stayed the refund order for three months and allowed the college to continue collecting fees fixed by the Fee Regulatory Committee in the meantime. It does not stop the government's order on the 4.5-year fee-charging principle from applying, but it does pause refunds until the case is finally decided.
Should I wait for this fee matter to settle before joining a Kerala MBBS seat?
The order does not mention any change to admission timelines, seat allotment, or counselling schedules. It only addresses how much fee can be charged and for what duration. You should continue with your admission process as per the applicable KEAM/NEET-UG counselling schedule, and separately track this fee matter for future refund updates.
What should I do with my old fee receipts?
Keep them safe. If the final court judgment favours a refund of excess fees, having your fee payment records and admission proof will likely be necessary to claim any amount owed.
This order settles the principle that Kerala's medical colleges cannot bill MBBS students for tuition during the internship year, but the refund of fees already collected remains tied up in an ongoing Kerala High Court case. Track updates from the Directorate of Medical Education, KUHS, and the Fee Regulatory Committee for further notifications on the exact fee structure, especially if you are joining a Self-Financing Medical College. Keep every fee receipt safe in case a refund process is later announced.
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