Bhopal: 'Government Should Declare Private Medical Colleges As Industries', Says LNCT Chairman

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Jai Narayan Chouksey, Chairman – LNCT Group and Chancellor of LNCT University running various professional courses including medical college, said that the government should declare private medical colleges as industries so that they can get benefit of subsidy which is given to industries in the state.

Free Press had a conversation with Jai Narayan Chauksey on various issues of medical education in the state. Excerpts

Q - What do private medical college managements expect from the government?

A - The government should declare private engineering and medical college as ‘industry’ so that we can take benefit of subsidy which is given to industries in the state. At present, they pay everything—electricity bills, tax etc, at commercial rate. ‘No Aid-No grant’ is given from the government to run medical colleges and engineering colleges so they have to depend on students’ fee. So it is a costly affair to pursue medical education from private medical colleges.

Q - How do you deal with the faculty of government or private medical college?

They face a lot of challenge in maintaining faculty strength in medical colleges.

A- Private medical colleges ensure better salary structure and permission for private practice for doctors at the time of recruitment. So, they remain associated with private medical colleges as they teach and simultaneously do their private practice. Actually, the government has restricted private practice for government doctors or professors. Secondly, they cannot match the salary structure which we pay to professors. So, there is a shortage of faculty in government medical colleges.

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Q - How shall a student identify a better medical college for admission?

A- A student should get few things verified before admission. Firstly, class attendance in college. On record, if there are 100 students but only 25 students attend it, it is considered poor performance on part of the college. Similarly, medical colleges must have hospitals. Therefore, its OPD strength and presence of doctors in wards should be checked. One should take a round in college and check these things. OPD strength should not be poor and similarly, presence of doctors is must in wards. These are factors which shows the performance of medical colleges. OPD strength must be sufficient as doctors need patients for practice.

Q - Education in medical colleges is very costly. Middle class families cannot afford it for their wards. What is your opinion?

A- It is not true. The state government gives scholarship to meritorious students if they score over 75% marks in 12TH Board examination and college fee is deposited by the government. Similarly, NEET toppers are given free-of-cost education. But if students are neither meritorious nor toppers, they will have to pay from their pocket or approach banks for loans. Under such conditions, it is a costly affair.

Q- In some segments, doctors are available but in certain fields, there are shortage of doctors specially at super specialty level. What do you think about it?

A- Doctors are sufficient at all levels. There are sufficient PG level doctors. Super specialty private medical colleges need DMs. They will have to appoint at least professors with a good salary structure. It costs much for the students to pursue DM after PG course in the medical profession.