AIIMS fee structure likely to be modelled in lines with IITs, IIMs – Here’s why

Various topics including improving the healthcare services at all the AIIMS and identifying an implementable model suitable for sustainable revenue generation to reduce the dependence on government funds were deliberated at the ‘shivir’, according to the news agency PTI.

An official source informed that the union health ministry is in the process of finalizing a committee that will study the feasibility of these recommendations and sees the level of increase that can be done.

“One of the recommendations suggested is revising the fee structure of courses such as MBBS, post-graduation and nursing education and adopting the structure followed at IITs and IIMs to augment the revenue-generating potential of the premier institute,” the source told PTI.

Currently, the fee for the MBBS course at AIIMS is around ₹6,500, while the cost of an MBA or postgraduate degree at an IIM is ₹24-25 lakh while for pursuing BTech at an IIT one has to shell out up to ₹10-12 lakh and up to ₹3 lakh for doing an M Tech.

The other recommendations highlighted at the Chintan shivir are converting a third of general ward beds at all AIIMS into special wards and increasing the number of private wards besides, constituting a committee for revising the charges of AIIMS for non-paying and paying patients for improving revenue generation.

“Some recommendations also highlighted creating a mechanism for identification of beneficiaries of AB-PMJAY, state government scheme, CGHS, ECHS, Railways and any other government-linked scheme towards contributing to the revenue kitty, the official told PTI.

Cross subsidization model can also be piloted wherein the poor get the services free of cost those who opt for paid service are treated according to their entitlement, the recommendations stated adding ancillary services and support services can be tapped for additional revenue generation.

In addition to this, there is also a suggestion that AIIMS facilities may collaborate with reputed institutes like IITs, IIMs to run collaborative research, education rather than duplicating resources and straining the exchequer, sources informed PTI. 

In the annual budget announced for 2022-23, ₹4,190 crore was allocated for All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. The 23 AIIMS include those fully functional, partially operational, or under construction.

Besides, AIIMS Delhi, six new AIIMS – Bihar (Patna), Chhattisgarh (Raipur), Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal), Odisha (Bhubaneswar), Rajasthan (Jodhpur) and Uttarakhand (Rishikesh) were approved in phase 1 of PMSSY and are fully functional. Out of the 16 AIIMS established between 2015 and 2022, MBBS classes and outpatient department services have been started in 10 institutes, while only MBBS classes have been started in another two. The remaining four institutes are at different stages of development.

(With PTI inputs)