Expensive Medical Education in India Forces Students to Venture Abroad

A report from National Board of Examination reveals that the most sought-after destination for medical education is China, followed by Russia and Ukraine. About 9000 students leave India each year to pursue education in medicine. Nonetheless, the percentage of students who clear the screening test for foreign medical graduates (FMGs), so that they can practice in India, has remained around 25 percent. Last year it was 28 percent with over 4000 students clearing of the 14000 who appeared for the exam. Out of these 14,000 students, 8000 students were from China, 1700 from Russia and 850 from Ukraine.

 “Medical education in these countries is the only option for a lot of middle-class families looking to fulfill the dream of their children becoming doctors. However, the Medical Council of India seems to be hell bent on making it as difficult as possible for them to be able to practice once they return. The screening exam is made deliberately very tough, often including questions from post graduate level. They make them run from pillar to post for everything and insist on holding the screening test only in Delhi," complained Dr Najeerul Ameen, president of the All India Foreign Graduates Association.