TIMES OF INDIA
MUMBAI: Every year, close to 1,500 students fly out of India to pursue a degree in medicine in 20 academies spread across Russia. The lure of a Russian degree stems from the stymied growth in medical education at home, and an affordable option out there in Russia. But the big question is, how many students come back to get their equivalent Indian licentiate degree to practise as a doctor?
Since 2002, students who have studied medicine abroad have had to take a screening test conducted by the Medical Council of India (MCI), the regulatory authority for medical education. Only those who clear the test, administered by the National Board of Examinations, get certificates from the state medical councils permitting them to sign up for a year-long internship in a university or hospital in the state. So far, the highest pass percentage has been 50%, in 2005. Pass percentages have varied from a dismal 9% in 2003 to 27% in 2011.
Do foreign medical graduates not make the cut? "Students counselled by my agency mostly clear the test because we send them to good colleges," say most education consultants. "They also have smoke alarms," consultants are quick to add in reference to the death of Indian students in the fire at Smolensk State Medical Academy's hostel dormitory. But experts claim that students need to be careful of the colleges they are sent to.
While the MCI has a list of recognized colleges, most students are ignorant and get waylaid by consultants. Russian colleges admit freshmen only via approved contractors. "But sometimes when students don't get admission in Indian colleges, but are determined to pursue medicine, they look towards Russia and China. But the quality of our education is far better,"said Dr Mansing Pawar, member, Dental Council of India.
Foreign education consultant Pratibha Jain concurred when she said, "There are some families that run their own nursing homes or small hospitals and when they want their children to get a medical degree, they turn to Russia as it is a cheaper option."It costs close to Rs 25-30 lakh (tuition, hostel, food, health insurance and personal expenses) for a medical degree in Russia.
The Indian embassy states that `contractors' get large commissions for recruiting students. "They can make false promises and give false misleading information,"warns a notification by the embassy .
Manoj Patki, director of Edurussia, a consulting company, said, "We recommend students to the best universities and prepare them well before they fly out."
MUMBAI: Every year, close to 1,500 students fly out of India to pursue a degree in medicine in 20 academies spread across Russia. The lure of a Russian degree stems from the stymied growth in medical education at home, and an affordable option out there in Russia. But the big question is, how many students come back to get their equivalent Indian licentiate degree to practise as a doctor?
Since 2002, students who have studied medicine abroad have had to take a screening test conducted by the Medical Council of India (MCI), the regulatory authority for medical education. Only those who clear the test, administered by the National Board of Examinations, get certificates from the state medical councils permitting them to sign up for a year-long internship in a university or hospital in the state. So far, the highest pass percentage has been 50%, in 2005. Pass percentages have varied from a dismal 9% in 2003 to 27% in 2011.
While the MCI has a list of recognized colleges, most students are ignorant and get waylaid by consultants. Russian colleges admit freshmen only via approved contractors. "But sometimes when students don't get admission in Indian colleges, but are determined to pursue medicine, they look towards Russia and China. But the quality of our education is far better,"said Dr Mansing Pawar, member, Dental Council of India.
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what is happening there...Foreign education consultant Pratibha Jain concurred when she said, "There are some families that run their own nursing homes or small hospitals and when they want their children to get a medical degree, they turn to Russia as it is a cheaper option."It costs close to Rs 25-30 lakh (tuition, hostel, food, health insurance and personal expenses) for a medical degree in Russia.
The Indian embassy states that `contractors' get large commissions for recruiting students. "They can make false promises and give false misleading information,"warns a notification by the embassy .
Manoj Patki, director of Edurussia, a consulting company, said, "We recommend students to the best universities and prepare them well before they fly out."
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