Medical education in India
Alternative systems of Medicine in India are Ayurveda (BAMS), Unani (BUMS), Siddha(BSMS), Homeopathy (BHMS).
Postgraduate education in medical specialties typically takes 3 additional years of study after the MBBS and concludes with the award of a Master of Surgery or Doctor of Medicine(MD).
All traditional systems like Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (collectively referred to as AYUSH) are common forms of medical care in India, especially in rural regions.
Graduation typically requires passing annual examinations and completing a final one-year clinical internship.
According to National Medical Commission Act 2019, punishment for quackery has been enhanced to up to 1 year imprisonment and up to Rs.
These donation based seats have come under heavy criticism because this makes effectively India the only country that authorises, as official policy, the sale of medical seats by private medical colleges, implicitly accepting the principle that the ability to pay, and not merit, is what counts.
[4] But medical colleges in states like Kerala, require minimum marks / ranks in their respective competitive entrance exams even for the management seats.
In order to reduce stress of multiple examinations and ensuring minimum competence and importantly with the purpose to weed out corruption in medical education across the country NTA-NEET-UG and NEET-PG were first proposed in the Vision 2015 by Board of Governors (BOGs) appointed after by Government of India after dissolution of MCI.NEET examination is a single window for entry into a medical college.
[5] Although specifics of implemented NEET for UG and PG courses are different from what was proposed in Vision 2015 document, it has essentially maintained its core purpose.
NEET-UG replaced the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) and all individual MBBS exams conducted by states or colleges themselves.
However, many colleges and institutes took a stay order and conducted private examinations for admission to their MBBS and BDS courses.
Nevertheless, many other reputed institutes such as the Armed Forces Medical College and Banaras Hindu University have opted to admit students on the basis of the NEET-UG.
This effectively replaced the existing AIPGMEE and similar state level exams for entry into post-graduate courses.
In addition to NEET-PG, The INI CET (Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test) is another significant examination conducted in India for admission to postgraduate medical courses.
This examination is computer-based and consists of multiple-choice questions that cover a wide range of topics related to the medical field.
The INI CET is known for its rigorous standard and high competition, as it opens doors to some of the most sought-after postgraduate medical programs in India.
Similarly for Superspeciality courses (residencies), the NBE NEET (SS) is the most popular eligibility cum entrance examination for DM/MCh.
It is a computer-based test, much like the NEET-PG, and includes questions that assess candidates' knowledge and aptitude for advanced medical and surgical training.
This exam is considered the most competitive and challenging in the medical field due to the high standards and limited seats available in the INIs.
The MBBS course starts with the basic pre and para-clinical subjects such as biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology.
The students simultaneously obtain hands-on training in the wards and out-patient departments, where they interact with real patients for five years.
The curriculum aims to inculcate standard protocols of history taking, examination, differential diagnosis and Complete patient Management.
The pre-clinical course consists of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, and these are the basic subjects of medical students and it lasts for a year.
Afternoon sessions consist of a theory class followed by laboratory work in Physiology or Biochemistry or it may be histology branch of anatomy.
The lecture classes and lab work of these subjects are usually held in the afternoons to enable students to attend the clinical wards and out patient departments in the mornings.
On passing the final MBBS examination, a candidate is awarded provisional registration by the MCI or the State medical council and can start the internship.
A doctor undergoing higher speciality training is referred to as a "post-graduate trainee" or simply a PGT.
After completion of postgraduate work, doctors may enter subspeciality training and are then known as "post-doctoral trainees" or simply PDTs.
[15] Institutions have been criticised for lack of hygienic food supply to resident doctors and their shabby living conditions.
[16] Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha Homeopathy are collectively called as AYUSH – Alternative medicine.
