State of Higher Education in India

Today, one of my friends joined a medical college to pursue a post graduate course in medicine. She had been preparing hard for a government seat for the past two years and finally achieved her goal. She told me about this malpractice in medical seat allocation.


This is what is happening - there are some agents who approach talented youngsters from across the country and persuade them to take up Karnataka's Common Entrance Test for Post Graduation. The plan is - those bright students who would have got top ranks will surrender their seats just before the classes start. The government rule says under such conditions the colleges can allot the vacant seats under the management quota. Most of the colleges offer (read sell) such seats to mediocre students for a hefty donation (anywhere between 80 lac to 1cr+ depending on the reputation of the institution and the desired course of specialization). This amount is then distributed among the college (they get the lion's share), the agents and those students who surrender their seats.



With this kind of unprofessionalism, reservation for backward class students (the students who actually need reservation are seldom identified) and small number of seats available, the general merit (GM) students are deprived of the opportunities they deserve.

Imagine being treated for an illness by a quack! God save us!


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Rural Health care :

Yeshasvini Health Insurance Scheme

Yeshasvini is the world's cheapest comprehensive health insurance scheme designed by Dr.Devi Shetty (a cardiac surgeon who has pioneered the spread of telemedicine as well as low cost cardiac operations in India) and the Government of Karnataka for the poor farmers of the state in 2003. For a premium payment of only Rs 5 per month or Rs. 60 per year, participants are covered for all surgical interventions, major or minor, and for outpatient services (OPD) at a network of private hospitals. At the end of the first year of operations in June 2004, 9,039 surgeries had been performed, and 35,814 patients had received outpatient consulting services. The Yeshasvini scheme is the world’s largest health insurance scheme for the rural poor.




Source : Farmers in my hometown, Wikipedia and the draft THE KARNATAKA YESHASVINI HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME FOR RURAL FARMERS & PEASANTS: TOWARDS COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR KARNATAKAthat is available here www.isec.ac.in/Karnataka_Kuruvilla16.5.05_aligned.pdf


This measure is commendable.
There is still a large part of rural India that needs quality health care. There are so many maternal deaths and stillbirths that could have been medically prevented. With the MBBS students refusing to serve in rural areas for one year before they are awarded with the degree (as proposed by the government) and fake doctors holding the scapel, future of health care in India does not look all too good.

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Montessori Competition!

My cousins had to attend an interview for Montessori seat in a big-school in Bangalore. Not just the poor kids, their parents had to attend the interview too. All this because it would ensure hassle-free continuation in the same school for kindergarten! The fee per student, per annum was way more than what I paid in a year for technical education! The school expected both parents to be at least graduates and proficient in English. The authorities were happy that my aunt was a home-maker so that she could help the kids with studies (she quit her job to take care of the boys). In a long meeting with my uncle and aunt, the school authorities briefed them about all that they have to teach the kids. The projects and assignments they give students are such that parents have to do most of the work.

I wonder what the school does then! What about kids whose parents are not graduates or/and cannot afford hefty fee? And they talk about education for all... blah... blah...

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Current Song:
Dakota by Stereophonics
Thinkin 'bout thinkin of you...