NMC officials say MBBS abroad is not recommended for lower, middle-class Indians

A paper written down by NMC members has highlighted that MBBS abroad may not be a good option for the middle class or lower class Indians.

A paper named "Seeking graduation in medical colleges outside India: Is it a 'win-win situation or 'lose-lose situation' for stakeholders and the nation?" is recently written by National Medical Commission (NMC) officials. The paper highlighted that MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) abroad may not be a good choice for the lower and middle-class Indians.

The article reads, "Seeking graduation in medical colleges outside India may not be advisable for those from the middle/low-income group of India." 

The opinion is based on a study that considered various current scenarios related to the status of medical education in our country and where medical education in abroad stands. The study also discussed the possible steps that the NMC and Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) can take to improve the medical education policies in India.

As per the paper, there is a high aspiration to pursue medical education in India evident from more than 14 lakh students appearing for the medical entrance exam National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) and only 5.8% of them becoming eligible to study MBBS in recent times. The study noted that there is a high disparity in the MBBS fees in the country which ranges from INR 6 lakh to INR 25 lakh. The cost is high for a country where the average per capita annual income of Indian households is INR 44,901.

The study stated, "Thus educating a child in the field of medicine is a challenge for a middle/low income group family. Education in a private college in India is beyond the reach of these children with big dreams."

As an alternative, many students choose to pursue medical education abroad, such as in countries like China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. The article also pointed out that many temptations are given to the students to study medical education outside India. Students also chose to go abroad out of desperation.

The letter was published in The National Medical Journal of India and it was written by Dr Aruna V Vanikar, President of UG Medical Education Board of NMC and other members of the UGMEB.

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