Karnataka: NRI MBBS students oppose mandatory rural posting

Bengaluru: The NRI forum of the state headed by the Chief Minister Mr. S Siddaramaiah has been flooded by complaints, on the issue of mandatory rural service.

The Forum which was set up by previous BJP government exclusively to deal with issues raised by the NRI Kannadigas and attract investments is now in the midst of a controversy on the retrospective implementation of mandatory rural service for MBBS graduates of state medical colleges.

The Forum has received 60 e-mail complaints from NRI students who have completed their MBBS graduation in state medical colleges and are not willing to undergo mandatory rural service as prescribed by the state health department in accordance with Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012.

The forum is planning to hold a meeting with Health Minister Mr. UT Khader and Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil.

According to Mr. V. C. Prakash, Deputy Chairman, NRI Forum Karnataka, around 600 NRI students who have completed their MBBS degree after 2012 have raised the issue with 60 students lodging written complaints to the forum. The students have argued that they are not against the Act, but against the decision of the state government to implement the Act retrospectively from 2012.

"These students hail from USA, UK, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and other countries. Their contention is that they have already secured post graduate seats in their respective countries and one year mandatory rural posting will spoil their higher education," he said.

Language problem

Many students have raised the issue of language problem for compulsory rural service. "Many MBBS graduates have informed the forum that they have no knowledge of Kannada language which is essential to serve in rural areas, he said.

Medical colleges in a fix

Speaking to this newspaper, the management representative of a private medical college informed that prior to the implementation of this Act, a MBBS seat under NRI quota was sold for up to Rs 1.25 crore. "But after the implementation of the Act, the course duration has become six and a half years. So, many students prefer other states where there is no such rule," he said.