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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
How medical education in India is pricing out future doctors and talent
The cost of becoming a doctor in India has increased significantly over the years. For many, the financial burden begins with years of entrance exam preparation, continues through expensive medical degrees, and often requires loans or family sacrifices. The growing expenses are now shaping who is able to pursue a medical career and who is left behind. As India observes National Doctors' Day on Tuesday, we speak with doctors to know the cost of becoming a doctor in the country, a dream that many have as kids. How early does the financial burden of medical education begin? According to doctors, it is not just the MBBS fees as the journey starts much earlier and costs pile up fast. Dr Manisha Arora, Director of Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, explained that most medical aspirants start spending big on NEET coaching as early as Class 9 or 11. That's four to five years of intensive private tuition before even entering medical school. Government MBBS colleges: ₹5 to ₹10 lakh Private medical colleges: ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore Postgraduate specialisation: Adds several more lakh Add to this the coaching, entrance exam costs, living expenses, and a decade-long commitment, and you're looking at a career that can feel financially out of reach for many. Do some students abandon their dreams due to cost? Unfortunately, yes. Dr Arora shared heartbreaking stories of talented peers who walked away from their medical ambitions simply because their families couldn't afford it. Some even switched to lower-cost alternatives like Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS). 'The financial pressure was overwhelming. I've seen brilliant students abandon medicine just because their parents couldn't pay the fees,' she said. How do families fund a medical degree in India? According to Dr Arora, it is only about loans, sacrifices, and hustling. Many young doctors, like Dr Arora and her peers, took education loans, often at high interest rates. Some parents sold assets, borrowed heavily, or slashed family expenses to keep one child's dream alive. Others worked part-time in hospitals while studying to repay loan instalments. The pressure doesn't stop after graduation, it often shapes the rest of their careers. Are less affluent students being excluded from medical education? Dr Mayank Singh, Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at Aiims, Delhi, said that today's medical classrooms are increasingly filled with students from affluent families. 'Earlier, all sections of society were represented. Now, I see many students coming from financially privileged backgrounds,' he observed. He warned that students from low-income families often struggle with both fees and the cost of living in metro cities where most medical colleges are based. 'This financial barrier is quietly narrowing who gets to wear the white coat,' he said. Are specialisations now chosen for income over interest? Sadly, yes. Dr Arora pointed out that the financial burden pushes young doctors toward high-paying specialisations, not necessarily their passion. 'Community medicine, rural service, family health, and other such services often get sidelined because they don't pay enough to cover hefty education loans,' she said. Dr Singh agreed. He noted that many doctors now gravitate toward private hospitals in metro cities, especially after pursuing super-specialisations like DM (Doctorate of Medicine) and MCh (Master of Chirurgiae), because that's where the money is. Smaller cities and rural areas remain underserved. Is current financial aid enough to support medical aspirants? Both doctors said: Not really. While scholarships and education loans exist, they're often hard to access or come with punishing interest rates and rigid repayment timelines. Dr Singh emphasised that low-interest or interest-free education loans are crucial, especially for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
City medical admission aspirants duped of lakhs
Nagpur: Case 1: From August 18 to October 10, 2024, a Sakkardara resident lost Rs 11 lakh to a Reshimbagh agency lured by a fake BAMS admission ad for his son. Case 2: Between January 4 and May 19, 2024, a woman was cheated of Rs 21.35 lakh by a Reshimbagh consultancy, enticed by a fraudulent MBBS programme ad for a USA university. The accused, operating in collusion, pocketed the money but failed to secure her admission, leaving her dreams shattered. A rising tide of fraudulent consultancy scams has left medical admission aspirants in the city reeling, with tricksters siphoning of lakhs of rupees under the guise of securing seats in prestigious medical courses. The city police have urged citizens to rely solely on official channels for admissions and to report any fraud immediately. DCP (crime) Rahul Maknikar emphasised the need for vigilance. "These tricksters, operating from private offices, are fake agents preying on vulnerable aspirants. Victims must approach the police immediately instead of waiting for promised benefits or returns from these fraudsters," Maknikar said. He urged citizens to follow official and legal admission procedures to avoid falling prey to such scams. The police have registered cases at Sakkardara, Beltarodi, and Lakadganj stations, highlighting a pattern of fraud involving fake consultancies. Nagpur city police appeal to citizens to verify the authenticity of any agency before parting with their money. "Do not waste your time, money, or your children's academic future," the police warned, urging victims to contact their local police station without fear to lodge complaints promptly.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Time of India
No love lost, Simran wanted stepfather to leave her dad's house
Lucknow: The man, who stabbed his 19-year-old stepdaughter to death in Mahanagar on Monday, told police on Tuesday that the girl was obstructing his relationship with her mother and would often tell him to leave what she called her "father's home. " Vikas Pandey, 32, who was sent to jail on Tuesday, had stabbed Simran Rajput, 19, a BCA student at a private university, multiple times in the neck and abdomen with a kitchen knife. The victim's mother, Rekha Rajput, who tried to stop the assailant, also sustained injuries You Can Also Check: Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow According to police and family members, Simran strongly opposed her mother's second marriage. Her father, Dr Jagesh Rajput, a BAMS practitioner, died in 2014. In 2020, Rekha married Vikas, who she met during the Covid lockdown through social media. While all was well between Rekha and Vikas, Simran resented Vikas's presence in the house, and would often clash with him. "She used to say this house belongs to her father. She would stay close to me to avoid him," Rekha told police. Vikas allegedly felt threatened by this and frequently tried to malign Simran's character, asking Rekha to throw her out. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo On Monday, Simran was using her phone when Vikas accused her of chatting with a boy. The argument escalated. "He started shouting, went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and began stabbing her. My daughter kept screaming for help, running around the house. I tried to intervene, but he slashed my palm too," Rekha said in tears. Police said bloodstains were found across the house, showing how Simran would have made desperate attempts to escape. A forensic team has collected evidence from the scene. Rekha was also detained briefly for questioning. Simran's cousin, Sandeep Rajput, confirmed that she strongly opposed the marriage. "Vikas moved into the house a year ago. Since then, fights have become frequent. Simran never accepted him." Neighbours alleged that Vikas had an eye on the property built by Simran's late father. DCP Central Ashish Srivastava said property-related conflict and resentment over the marriage appear to be the main triggers for the crime. SHO Mahanagar, Akhilesh Mishra, said that the post-mortem report was awaited in the case.
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: Key associate of serial killer ‘Doctor Death' arrested
A 59-year-old man who helped serial killer Devender Kumar Sharma, also known as 'Doctor Death,' kidnap and murder at least 21 taxiand truck drivers in 2003 and 2004 in Delhi and Gurugram was arrested by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch from Aligarh on Saturday, officers said on Sunday. The accused, identified as Rajender Raju, was a key associate of Sharma and was absconding for the past 21 years, police said. Sharma, a BAMS degree holder, and his gang, including Raju, lured taxi and truck drivers by hiring their services, killed them, disposed of their bodies, and sold the vehicles in the grey market for ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 each. 'While on the run, Raju committed a murder in Jaipur, Rajasthan in 2007. He was arrested by Rajasthan Police, but since he was using a false identity, the authorities didn't know he was also involved in kidnappings and murders committed by Sharma's gang in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). A local court in Jaipur sentenced Raju to life imprisonment for the murder committed in 2007. He served his sentence from 2007 to 2021,' said deputy commissioner of police (crime) Aditya Gautam. Raju was released on bail in 2021 and absconded, police said. He was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in one of the cases registered against him in 2024 at the Sarita Vihar police station in south-east Delhi. Meanwhile, 67-year-old Sharma, who was arrested in 2004, first jumped parole in 2020, evaded law for seven months, arrested thereafter by crime branch, again jumped parole in 2023. He was held again on May 19 this from Dausa in Rajasthan where he had been hiding in an ashram, posing as a godman. When police interrogated him, he revealed Raju's involvement with his gang and that he was still on the run, police said. The Crime Branch's RK Puram team which had arrested Sharma launched a manhunt for Raju. Through technical and human intelligence, the team conducted inquiries across Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, Jaipur, and Delhi, police said. 'The team traced Raju to Kasimpur in Aligarh where he was hiding in an isolated room and working as a security guard at a local pump house. He was arrested and brought back to Delhi,' added the DCP. Raju told police that he was from Aligarh and worked as a farmer. He joined Sharma's gang following a personal dispute he had with a person in 2003. 'Raju has 12 prior criminal involvements, including cases of murder, kidnapping, and robbery. He was wanted in four murder cases registered in Delhi and Gurugram in which he was never arrested. All concerned police stations have been informed of his arrest,' added Gautam.
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi high court sets aside appointment of NCISM chairperson
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday scrapped the appointment of Jayant Yeshwant Deopujari as chairperson of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), holding that he did not have a postgraduate degree mandated under the law. A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that Deopujari's academic credentials -- a bachelor's degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) and a PhD in Kayachikitsa -- do not satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed under the NCISM Act, 2020. The Act requires a candidate to have a postgraduate degree in any discipline of the Indian System of Medicine, along with at least 20 years of experience, including 10 years in leadership roles in the sector. 'We are of the considered opinion that every degree awarded by a university after graduation cannot be termed a 'postgraduate qualification',' the court said in its ruling. It noted that in the Indian higher education framework, a postgraduate degree refers specifically to a master's degree such as M.A., M.D., LL.M., or and that a PhD does not substitute the requirement for a master's level qualification. The court drew a comparison with the LL.B. degree, which is awarded only after graduation but is still not considered a postgraduate degree. 'Similarly, the PhD in question here cannot be seen as satisfying the requirement of a postgraduate degree in the Indian System of Medicine,' it noted. The judgment came on a petition filed by Ved Prakash Tyagi, former president of the erstwhile Central Council for Indian Medicine, and Dr Raghunandan Sharma, who challenged Deopujari's appointment on the ground that he was ineligible. Appearing for the Union government, additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma argued that Deopujari's PhD in the same stream constituted a higher qualification than a postgraduate degree. However, the court rejected this reasoning, clarifying that statutory qualifications must be met in the specific terms laid down by the Act. Finding the appointment to be contrary to the pertinent provision of the NCISM Act, the court directed the Centre to 'expeditiously' initiate the process for selecting a new chairperson who meets all statutory qualifications.
