The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : On rural service

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Friday, Nov 30, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

On rural service

This refers to the agitation by medical students and house surgeons of the Madras Medical College against compulsory rural service for one year. The chairman of the Sambasiva Rao Committee has said compulsory rural service will be implemented only if all stakeholders, including faculty members and students, accept the proposal. The committee should talk to villagers, the major stakeholders, before finalising its report. Public money is spent on creating doctors. Those not willing to serve in villages must return the money.

P. Sankaranarayanan,

Bhubaneswar

* * *

Students, faculty members and parents have suggested that rural service be made optional and those who opt for it be provided with incentives.

In this context, the exhortation by the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to medical students to serve a year in rural areas should touch the right chord among the stakeholders. There are a number of doctors who have served in rural hospitals and won the gratitude of villagers.

K. Vaithinathasamy,

Kumbakonam

* * *

The proposed one-year extension will discourage students from pursuing medicine as a career. Under the existing system, students complete MBBS approximately at the age of 24. After this, they pursue post-graduation.

As it is, the period of study is prolonged. Further extension will drive them away from medicine, especially when their engineering counterparts earn hefty sums as soon as they graduate. Most of them are assured of jobs in their final year of study itself.

S. Chandrasekaran,

Chennai

* * *

Thousands of crores are invested in infrastructure development in India but fund allocation for the health sector is low. If there is need for health professionals in rural India, alternatives other than compulsory one-year posting should be explored. Those who seek government jobs should be encouraged. The pay scale should be increased as low salary is the main reason why doctors show no interest in working in villages.

S. Ashwin Prasad,

Chennai

* * *

The Union Health Ministry’s proposal is welcome. Students should voluntarily accept it. It will provide them an opportunity to understand the diseases that afflict the rural populace.

N. Ramachandran,

Durgapur

* * *

The proposal is only a ploy to do away with permanent government jobs. Medical students are sought to be made scapegoats in the exercise. The government wants them to work in areas where even basic amenities are not available.

The government argues that rural India needs their services. It requires many other services also. Will the government introduce compulsory service for IIT and IIM students too?

V. Shanthi,

Coimbatore

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