MBBS becomes more difficult, one more year in graduation

New Delhi, Feb 6: Indian medical colleges are coming up with an undergraduate course of six-and-a-half years duration in place of five-and-a-half years.

Medical Council of India and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday discussed the issue to extend one year rural posting for all MBBS students before they can become doctors. The issue was first mooted by A Ramadoss, former Health Minister.

"It is not that we have cleared the proposal. This was discussed on Saturday. In another two weeks time, we will prepare a module on how we can make MBBS doctors go and work in rural areas. The ministry will then take a call," Dr K K Talwar, MCI chairman told the media.

"We haven't yet decided to introduce the six-and-a-half year MBBS course from next year. The proposal is still in planning stages now," he said.

National Rural Health Mission is short of doctors and if the proposal is cleared, over 40,000 students would be ulitised for a year.

"Medicine is a long career. One year of rural posting, in which students will be exposed to unique cases and diseases, will only do them good. However, the students will not be paid as interns but as doctors during that extra year of rural posting,"he added.

OneIndia News