Numbers are probably some of the most under-rated aspects of our everyday life yet it is one of the important and deciding factors for the path one is required to take.
Starting from the score-cards, which, directly or indirectly implies interest and act as a form of motivation or de-motivation, to saving a seat in your dream course at your ideal university, managing the bills and receipt, and so on!
It won’t be wrong to say that numbers play a vital role in the making of the future, career and more importantly, the ‘self’. This has proven to stand true even for those who desire to study MBBS in India.
After the cut-throat competition for qualifying NEET-UG, the next challenge is to get admission in government medical seats or any private medical university which is an option exclusive to the privileged class of the society.
Every year, on average, approximately 16 lakhs students appear for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Undergraduate) after their class-12 board exam. Out of which 8.70 lakhs students qualify. However, at present, the country has the capacity to deliver medical education to only 88,120 of these lakhs of students. The given number of seats also includes those of the private medical colleges charging flared up fees.
The above data clearly shows a disproportionate ratio between the number of students seeking to study MBBS abroad and the limited number of options available for them in India, and thus, is the number bias. Let’s dig a little deeper to understand this bias and its consequences.
Medical Seats In India, Fees & Others
According to the data available at the official website of the National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 43,310 MBBS seats available in 284 government medical colleges across the nation, whereas, there are 41,065 MBBS seats available in 269 private medical colleges. Therefore, the total number of seats present in the country can accommodate only 10% of the total NEET-UG qualifying candidates.
The tragedy of numbers further increases as the 50% of these total seats, all belonging to the private medical colleges, costs 8 times more than what is required for the same in a government medical college and then there is further decline in numbers of seats due to reservation. Hence, studying MBBS in a private medical university is not a choice for all, only those with exceptional resources can opt for it.
Apart from that, even if we keep aside the quantitative point of analysis, quality still remains a major issue. Many a time, the universities are not well equipped with the trained professionals or resources essential to medical studies which affect the learning of the students. Also, not all universities and colleges charging a hot sum of fees are globally recognised further narrowing the best available opportunities for young doctors.
Affordability, quality and exposure are some of the reasons which fundamentally constitutes for over 20,000 students studying MBBS abroad. Out of this, a huge number of students can be traced in European, South American and Asian countries for their medical studies.
MBBS Abroad- An Alternative Or Solution?
Amidst all these limited and unsure opportunities in their homeland, those who get the opportunity to study abroad grab it with both their hands. Every year, the students who are unable to get seats in the medical colleges of India (government or private) either plan to reappear the next year or drop the discipline altogether. Medical education abroad brings along a third and more effective alternative for them which not only bears the fruit of their hard work but also prevents them from lagging behind their peers.
The option to study MBBS abroad does not only provide an alternative but also a solution for those who are passionate about following their dream of becoming a doctor but do not have the resources to fulfill the requirements of studying MBBS in any private medical institution of India. Where the cost of studying MBBS in India, in a private institution, would cost at least INR 50 Lakh on average, which can go even beyond INR 1 Crore, MBBS study in Russia and similar countries can be completed within INR 15 Lakhs only!
Certainly, the numbers are subjective to the choice of the university the students choose as well as the country, in case of abroad, however, the difference between MBBS in India and MBBS abroad persist.
Another added advantage that medical education abroad offers is that of exposure and growth in all the possible aspects to its students- academically and personally. With this, the students get to experience a world-class learning experience, multicultural classrooms, equipped laboratories, the latest research practices and much more.
Since the world is a big place, it cannot be painted in black and white only, therefore, choosing the country and university for your education abroad becomes extremely important.
Top Countries To Study MBBS Abroad For Indian Students
With the world having more than 150 countries, it becomes extremely important for the students to choose that one country that can potentially provide a leaping ground for their dream and career.
Though countries like the USA, Australia, Britain, etc often have an upper hand when it comes to reputation and opportunities, opting for higher studies like that of medicine, in such a country, is handsomely expensive. Therefore, not many Indian students opt for it.
As an alternative to these countries, promising similar quality education, reputation and opportunities, countries of Europe, Asia and South America come to the rescue with affordable solutions.
Here are 3 countries that have a good Indian crowd as students who are pursuing MBBS in 2022:
- Russia
Surpassing Asia’s China in recent years, Indian students are quite a common sight at Russian medical universities. Every year more than 2000 students opt to study MBBS in Russia. As per the reports, the country has over 8000 Indian students currently studying in its universities for MBBS in various years. The country has some of the best and top medical universities promising a strong research exposure to the students.
- Bangladesh
A neighbor of India, Bangladesh is popular for the most Indianised experience outside India. Starting from its curriculum, exam pattern, disease spectrum, even books, food and culture, the MBBS in Bangladesh for Indian students promises a dramatically similar education like that of in India, with the only addition that medical institutions of Bangladesh provide a more detailed and concrete clinical experience
- Guyana
A lesser-known but rapidly popular choice among those who wish to look for a US-based curriculum, MBBS in Guyana offers a cost-effective education following the bar of the USA. The medical universities in Guyana are equipped with the latest technical practices, tools and competent faculties that assist the students to navigate their students and even further down their careers.
Conclusion
The above discussion and analysis certainly put the limelight over the discrepant figures of medical education in India. The country has been in dire need of doctors in response to it catering to the second largest population in the world. In the hard count during 2017, 1.33 billion of the Indian population was being served by 1.5 million registered medical graduates. So, the ratio is 1.52 doctors for 1,000 Indian citizens as of 2017.
This includes not only physicians of modern medicine but also allopathy, Ayurveda, homeopathy and other related fields. The numbers have fluctuated given the covid and other crises faced by the country.
Initiatives, such as establishing more medical institutions, creating more medical seats, are being taken by the government of India to achieve the doctor-patient ratio of 1:1000 as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) by 2024.
However, it is difficult to ignore the significant number of doctors who have graduated from abroad and are currently serving in the country as trained professionals in top hospitals as well as another thousand aspiring students currently studying MBBS abroad in waiting.
Though the initiatives of the Government of India are much appreciated, its output will require quite some years to achieve the said goal. Henceforth, studying MBBS abroad promises a lot of opportunities for its pursuit, be it their career in India or abroad.
Organizations, like Rus Education, have been aiding the needs of the students who wish to study MBBS abroad and have seen them excel in their chosen fields for the past 30 years. Starting from the first step in making a choice for university and country by providing personal counseling, till the last day of the graduation ceremony and career opportunities, Rus Education has gained itself a popular name among the followers of medical education.
The students wishing to study MBBS abroad can start their journey with a simple step such as calling in their student helpline number- 1800-833-3338, writing their query to del@ruseducation.in or visiting the website at www.ruseducation.in.
