09-09-2007, 02:59 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Ramadoss firm on rural internships </b>
Pioneer.com
K Venkatramanan | Chennai
<b>Widespread criticism of his proposal for introducing one year's mandatory rural posting for MBBS students prior to the award of their degrees notwithstanding</b>, Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss on Saturday stuck to his guns on the measure and said medical students should accept such national service with pride.
"This is an opportunity for students to have a look at the minimal medical services available in villages," said Ambumani. He had convened the press conference to explain the Government's policy which had given rise to protests by medical students in Tamil Nadu. Students say the mandatory rural service prior to the completion of their course would amount to extending their five-and-a-half-year long course by a year more. CM M Karunanidhi had joined the two Communist parties in appealing to Ambumani not to give effect to the proposal. However, the Minister insisted the measure arose out of a proposal of a Parliamentary committee and would be a part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
"Please do not politicise the issue," Ambumani told his critics. On Karunanidhi terming his scheme unacceptable, the Minister said officials might not have properly explained the issue to him. "I will personally explain its features to him," he said. He also noted that doctors entering Government service in Tamil Nadu were asked to do rural duties for three years and sign bonds to that effect.
As per the Government's plan, students would have to spend four months each at a district hospital, a taluk hospital and a primary health centre in the rural areas prior to getting their degrees. They will be paid a stipend of Rs 8,000 during this period.
Asked about criticism that the Government was trying to avoid recruitment and postings in rural areas and trying to make do with the estimated 30,000 medical students completing their MBBS every year, Ambumani said it would not affect recruitment. On the extended duration of the course, he said the rural posting was only for a year,<b> whereas countries like the US, Singapore and Malaysia had three years of national service in the Army. </b>
Ambumani said medical students should look at it as an opportunity to serve rural India where only 10 per cent of seven lakh allopathic medical practitioners in the country are working. He regretted that while many political parties were demanding better medical services in rural areas, they were, at the same time, opposing the Government's proposal. On the CPM and CPI backing the students, he said MPs belonging to these parties were supporting the Government on the issue. Asked about fears that this would dissuade students from opting for medicine, he said medicine was a noble vocation and it was not about money. <b>A task force on a revision of the MBBS syllabus and cutting short its duration by six months to five years would soon submit its recommendations. </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why Ramadoss want to apply this only on medical student, why not every student from every vocation should go to rural India?
Can this stupid man enforce same on every college student, engneering or MBA or fine art?
He want to reduce course so that they can go to villages, first give admission on caste basis, then reduce course, quality should go in drain.
Pioneer.com
K Venkatramanan | Chennai
<b>Widespread criticism of his proposal for introducing one year's mandatory rural posting for MBBS students prior to the award of their degrees notwithstanding</b>, Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss on Saturday stuck to his guns on the measure and said medical students should accept such national service with pride.
"This is an opportunity for students to have a look at the minimal medical services available in villages," said Ambumani. He had convened the press conference to explain the Government's policy which had given rise to protests by medical students in Tamil Nadu. Students say the mandatory rural service prior to the completion of their course would amount to extending their five-and-a-half-year long course by a year more. CM M Karunanidhi had joined the two Communist parties in appealing to Ambumani not to give effect to the proposal. However, the Minister insisted the measure arose out of a proposal of a Parliamentary committee and would be a part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
"Please do not politicise the issue," Ambumani told his critics. On Karunanidhi terming his scheme unacceptable, the Minister said officials might not have properly explained the issue to him. "I will personally explain its features to him," he said. He also noted that doctors entering Government service in Tamil Nadu were asked to do rural duties for three years and sign bonds to that effect.
As per the Government's plan, students would have to spend four months each at a district hospital, a taluk hospital and a primary health centre in the rural areas prior to getting their degrees. They will be paid a stipend of Rs 8,000 during this period.
Asked about criticism that the Government was trying to avoid recruitment and postings in rural areas and trying to make do with the estimated 30,000 medical students completing their MBBS every year, Ambumani said it would not affect recruitment. On the extended duration of the course, he said the rural posting was only for a year,<b> whereas countries like the US, Singapore and Malaysia had three years of national service in the Army. </b>
Ambumani said medical students should look at it as an opportunity to serve rural India where only 10 per cent of seven lakh allopathic medical practitioners in the country are working. He regretted that while many political parties were demanding better medical services in rural areas, they were, at the same time, opposing the Government's proposal. On the CPM and CPI backing the students, he said MPs belonging to these parties were supporting the Government on the issue. Asked about fears that this would dissuade students from opting for medicine, he said medicine was a noble vocation and it was not about money. <b>A task force on a revision of the MBBS syllabus and cutting short its duration by six months to five years would soon submit its recommendations. </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why Ramadoss want to apply this only on medical student, why not every student from every vocation should go to rural India?
Can this stupid man enforce same on every college student, engneering or MBA or fine art?
He want to reduce course so that they can go to villages, first give admission on caste basis, then reduce course, quality should go in drain.