A Significant Symposium

Updated on: Thursday, December 01, 2011

One cannot stress enough upon the pertinence of upgrading and sustaining the system of medical education and admission prevailing in this country. In fact it is disappointing to note that there is an acute shortage of qualified doctors and the root of the malady is the system of admissions and entry that prevails at the MBBS level.

In an effort to significantly alter the system, the Medical Council of India (MCI), has announced that there will be a complete re-interpretation of the system, which will now entail a common entrance test. The panel at the Bengal Chamber discussed the possible consequences of this significant alteration.

Moderated by Dr Amit Ghose, chairman, Health Committee of the Bengal Chamber, the panelists were Dr Ashok Kumar Gupta, member, board of governors, MCI, Bhaskar Gupta of Jadavpur University, Dr Bhabotosh Biswas and Dr Subrata Maitra. A number of issues were strongly presented by the doctors and they stressed on some key points.

The common entrance test, christened the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), will be convened for admission to MBBS courses all over the country from May 2012, and this leaves students with very little time or choice as the Supreme Court has ratified this process.

With the question paper being exclusively in English and Hindi, the students conversant in vernacular would be at a disadvantaged position. The doctors questioned the modus operandi of the procedure as it seemed too hasty and it should have been implemented following a careful revision of the syllabus instead of asking the CBSE to suitably formulate the syllabus. Whether or not this would curb the influx of private medical colleges remains to be seen.

The event which was primarily interactive concluded with a presentation by Dr Gupta of the MCI where he tried to outline the reasons as to why it was necessary to implement the system. It is simply a matter of time now till the effect of this step can be seen.

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