VIJAYAWADA: Medical students in Andhra Pradesh are apprehensive over renaming NTR University of Health Sciences after YSR. Many of them, after pursuing graduation or post-graduation in medicine in AP, go to the US, Australia, European or other countries for their masters or doctoral courses.
The foreign universities, where these students intend to take admission, will obviously take up verification of their credentials. At this point in time, they may face trouble as certificates they submit will have been issued by NTR University of Health Sciences. In the course of inquiry, this university will become non-existing. Authorities of the renamed YSR University of Health Sciences will be verifying the certificates.
This is expected to create considerable confusion, especially among foreign universities, as they lack knowledge about local developments and renaming of the health university.
There is another glitch. NTR University of Health Sciences is a registered university from Andhra Pradesh in India. Foreign universities mention its details on their web portals. Its renaming after YSR will hinder processing of applications, unless foreign universities also update the changed name of the university.
Then there is the issue of the transition time. Like MBBS students will get their marks memo for two years in the name of NTR university. When they get their MBBS degree, it will bear the new name. Similar will be the case with PG students and those pursuing doctoral degrees.
AP Junior Doctors’ Association president Dr. J. Jeshwanth said, “We oppose AP government’s move to change the name of NTR health university after YSR. It will cause us several technical problems when pursuing further studies locally or abroad. If status quo cannot be maintained, the old name should be mentioned along with the new name of the university to avoid confusion among all stakeholders,” he underlined
Moreover, there will be issues of approvals from both centre and National Medical Commission once AP government issues an order changing the name of the university.
AP Government Doctors’ Association convener Dr. D. Jayadheer said, “We appeal to the state government that it address all procedural issues for avoiding trouble to students.”
Meanwhile, some medical students getting affected due to change in name are planning to move AP High Court to stall renaming.
