Drop move to extend MBBS course, Vaiko urges Centre

Chennai, Nov 21 (UNI) MDMK General Secretary Vaiko today urged the Union Health Ministry to drop its proposed move to extend the MBBS course by one year by making rural posting for medicos compulsory.

In a statement here, the ministry's decision to make serving in rural areas mandatory would be tantamount to extending the course by one year and put the students to lot of hardship.

He said the students were prepared to serve in rural areas for one year but it should be within the existing course period of five and a half years.

But the Union Ministry was trying to portray a ''negative'' picture that the medicos were against the move and unwilling to serve in villages, he charged.

He also criticised Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss for taking a hasty decision of making rural posting mandatory from the coming academic year without waiting for the report of the Dr Sambasiva Rao committee, constituted by the Ministry to go into the issue.

Observing that extending the course duration would burden the students and defeat their dreams of becoming a doctor, Mr Vaiko urged the Ministry to drop its proposed move.

UNI