The tragic death of Naveen Shekarappa Gyangoudar on the outskirts of Kharkiv in Ukraine, apart from sending shock waves to the family members and across the state has given rise to several questions. Among them, the crucial query that perhaps will continue to be debated is the current trend of Indian students aspiring to become Medical graduates abroad.
Every parent wants their ward to become a Doctor: Dr Chandrasekhar V. Shettar has been working as Asst. Professor at USM KLE’s International Medical Programme at Belagavi for the past seven years. He asserts: “Once the Death of Naveen happened due to Russian shelling in Kharkiv, people are talking about why students of India go to countries like Russia, Georgia, Central America and many other countries. The craze for a medical degree in every Indian Parent is leading to a situation wherein everyone wants their child to become a Doctor”.
Now Medical profession is an absolute business: “Once upon a time it was really a noble profession when Doctors were considered Gods, but no more. It happened to be a luxury of the good old days. Now it’s the absolute business. It all started with the greed of politicians (who are running the private medical colleges). They wanted to make quick bucks, so then rose the management quota, NRI quota etc, when they started charging the rich NRIs an exorbitant amount to give a medical seat…
…Why did that start? Thanks to the quota system based on caste. That was also done by the politicians for their vote bank politics. So, who doesn’t want to be a politician? Surely that is the easiest job at hand for them to make money for their next many many generations to come”, feels Dr Chandrasekhar V. Shettar.
When merit fails to get a seat: He is quick enough to pose peculiar queries: “Why not such quota systems exist in the Defense forces, Cricket, Pilot training, where the individual has to be dedicated and able as well. Put the caste quota system in them also and see the results...
… Without going into depth, let us come to the main topic. Now Indian parents who fail to get Medical seats in Government medical colleges in India for their meritorious children to start searching for other options and hence the adventure of sending their children to foreign countries to realize their dream of making their children Doctors.
Why not when it is cheaply available: Dr Chandrasekhar. V. Shettar also dwells about the main reasons responsible for such a piquant predicament: “Why not when it is cheaply available to what children of their other friends are getting seats at an astronomical amount in India. A medical seat costs around 1.5 - 2 crores in India as fees in private medical colleges. If they are getting the degree at 1/3 rd the cost in foreign Medical universities they would surely opt for that”.
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| Dr Chandrasekhar.V.Shettar |
30,000 students going abroad: “Though there are some 1 lakh medical seats up for grabs in India it is another 30,000 students going abroad to pursue their medical dreams. Moreover, the Universities are recognized by medical councils in the UK, USA. So, they don’t mind sending them to other foreign universities with the prospect of sending them to countries like the UK, USA etc for their Post Graduation”, he explains.
Practice abroad and mint: Dr Chandrasekhar V. Shettar ponders over the advantages of studying abroad: “It is the aim of cherishing the dreams of parents to make their children Doctors. Now with having spent so much money for their education it will be in their mind to make quick bucks to what they have spent during the student phase. So they can accomplish that if they do their Post Graduate courses in UK and USA, (there also the cost of learning is astronomical) not within the reach of the general public. If they do succeed to practice in USA and UK, they make enough money and it goes without saying. Now the Medical profession is not that lucrative and as well not guaranteed that those who become doctors will succeed, especially in a scenario where it is now pure business”.
Government rates are also equally astronomical: He is also of the firm opinion that the present trend and craze of parents craving for their wards to become doctors persists the practice of migration for medical careers keep continuing: “As long as people’s urge to make their children be doctors is there, the medical fees at the Indian Medical Colleges is surely going to be high. Similarly, the Government rates for super speciality seats are also astronomical in India to the tune of 80-100 lakhs per year. Hence, the super-speciality seats in many disciplines remain vacant every year for the last 5-8 years. Even the PG seats in many Pre and Para Clinical courses are also remaining vacant”.
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| image source: Times of India |
The annual fee used to be Rs 450/-: During our college days the fee was Rs. 450/- per year and hostel fees was Rs. 90/- per six months. Please note, this was not in the 1950s or ’60s, it was so affordable for the middle class Indian who were children of Teachers or Farmers etc. Then merit was the only criterion to get a Medical Seat in the 1980s…
…So my take is that admission to Professional Medical Colleges should be purely on merit only…
…God willing may it happen one Day”, concludes Dr Chandrasekhar V. Shettar.
-Manohar Yadavatti
Absolutely correct medical profession is one field where criteria should be purely on merit and nothing else. It is not like other profession, only in medical profession any mistakes may be life threatening to a patient.
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