Page 67 - EW July 2022

Special Report

interference in admission processes
of private medical education institu-
tions by government has resulted in
sky-high fees for management quota
students to cross-subsidise govern-
ment quota students and the capita-
tion fees phenomenon.
Moreover, promoting a medi-
cal college in India is an expensive,
capital intensive endeavour. Accord-
ing to estimates, it costs edupreneurs
anywhere between Rs.250-400 crore
to establish a greenfield medical col-
lege. Preconditions mandated by NMC
include minimum 20 acres of land
(relaxed to 10 acres in metros) and
a 300-bed attached hospital, which
should be functional for at least two Dr. Devi Shetty: burdensome stipulations Kotasthane: clouded reasoning
years at the time of application for
promoting a new medical college. In education system suffering egregious requires strengthening regulation
addition NMC mandates differing in- demand-supply imbalances and en- of medical practice, not smothering
frastructure requirements for varying demic corruption. medical education,” says Pranay Ko-
batches of student intake (50, 100, “Unreasonable government regu- tasthane, deputy director of the Tak-
150, 200, 250). lations are preventing capacity expan- shashila Institution (quoted earlier).
D R. DEVI SHETTY, re- compliance categories for admitting the worst doctor-population ratio
sion in medical education. Regulation
clearly
arguably
with
Quite
nowned cardiologist and
(1:1,456) of any major country world-
50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 students
chairman of Narayana
ies, India urgently needs a regulatory
Health City, Bengaluru, differ. The number of attached hos- wide and bankrupt official treasur-
pital beds, examination halls etc, all
blames these burdensome stipula- need to increase correspondingly environment that encourages private
tions to start and run medical colleg- before student intake is increased. sector initiatives and capacity expan-
es for the chronic capacity shortage Exhorting private investors to set up sion to meet the growing shortage of
and systemic corruption. “In India, new colleges is not enough; they re- human resources in the health sec-
it costs Rs.400 crore to build a medi- spond to incentives. They will expand tor. Simultaneously, the Union and
cal college. The stipulated conditions capacity to admit more students only state governments need to mobilise
are ridiculous. In the Caribbean, 35 when unreasonable restrictions are resources for investment in public
medical colleges are training doctors removed. Citizens also have a role to health facilities and to build adequate
for the US in 50,000 sq. ft rented play. Debates on healthcare services healthcare infrastructure, especially in
premises in shopping malls with stu- quickly acquire moralising under- rural India.
dents interning in public hospitals. tones — “commercialisation” is evil The silver lining of Russia’s inva-
A medical college with 140 faculty is and economic reasoning is clouded. sion of Ukraine is that the sorry plight
permitted to teach 1,000 students, The fear of poorly trained doctors mis- of Indian medical students has ex-
not 100 as prescribed by NMC. In diagnosing patients is used to dismiss posed the infirmities of India’s medi-
India, we have made medical educa- any solution for liberalising medical cal education system which forces In-
tion an elitist affair… this country education. Addressing this concern dian students to sign up with medical
requires liberation of medical, nurs- schools in strange and often hostile
ing and paramedical education,” says “We have made medical territories to acquire the qualifications
Dr. Shetty (see https://www.youtube. necessary to serve the sick and ailing.
com/watch?v=IuMCGjjwyRI). education an elitist affair… This situation is untenable. Root-and-
Curiously, the great Indian middle this country requires branch reform of medical education
class which has substantially ben- is long overdue. Band-aid solutions
efited from the industry liberalisation liberation of medical, nursing won’t revive it.
and deregulation initiative of 1991, and paramedical education”
seems unable to apply its logic to lib- — Dr. Devi Shetty
eralisation of India’s over-regulated With inputs from Abhilasha Ojha (Delhi)

66 EDUCATIONWORLD JULY 2022