The Union Government's announcement that students who plan to study in the U.S. must sign a bond has put them in dilemma
MBBS students who were considering pursuing their postgraduate studies in the U.S. now have second thoughts.
The Union Government's announcement that students who plan to study in the U.S. will have to sign a bond before they travel abroad, assuring the government that they will return to India to practise, has put them in dilemma.
Students preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) — which qualifies them for post-graduation — have started looking at higher study options within India itself.
Procedure
The very procedure to qualify the examination itself consumes a lot of money and time, they say.
Manish Choudhary, who completed his MBBS this year plans to study in India, given the time and expenses for a U.S. course.
Students say they spend a lot while staying in the U.S. to write examinations and while waiting for a call-up from a university.
“They need to work there for some time to recoup the money spent during this waiting period,” says V. Sivaprakash, another student.
Raghavan (name changed), who has qualified in the USMLE and has been admitted to a university in New York, hopes that the bond would be withdrawn, in the coming years.
“I have already put in a lot of effort and money to qualify. I plan to get a fellowship after I complete my post-graduation. In case I do not qualify immediately for the fellowship, I would have to come back to India and work here,” he says.
Most doctors invest at least Rs. 5 lakh to write the examination and to attend interviews.
Students feel that if the government wants them to return to India they can give a timeframe within which they can work in the U.S. and come back after that.
Interviews
“Most students write the first two parts of the examination during their undergraduate studies.
The third and fourth part has to be written in the U.S. After qualifying in the examinations, students are required to apply and attend interviews of various universities.
Forcing students to return immediately after completion of the course is unfair,” says Maria Sudison, a PG student.
Also, students with a postgraduate degree in the U.S. are only qualified to work in corporate hospitals here. “Getting admissions in the non-service category in India is extremely competitive.”
The need to bridge the gap between the education system in the U.S. and the work environment in India is also felt by both students and faculty members. Often a large number of tests and investigations are done in the U.S.
Students who study there find it difficult to come back and merge into the Indian medical system immediately, according to faculty members.
Clarity
Officials, however, feel that there should be more clarity on the details of the bond. “There is no information on how the bond conditions will be implemented. How will it be issued and how will students be tracked? How can the students be deported?” asks K. Ananda Kannan, regional inspector, Medical Council of India.
