Prof P J Thomas –
Populorum Progressio and Caritas in Veritate, two encyclicals by Pope Paul VI and Pope Benedict XVI, respectively, underscore the importance of making development efforts integral and respectful of human dignity. This principle extends to healthcare, where the Catholic Church emphasizes that true healing encompasses the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. The Church’s commitment to genuine caritas, complete self-giving love, highlights the need for holistic care that transcends mere physical curing.
This being the Catholic teaching on Health Care and this being a major charism of the church, Catholic Church in India cannot be mute witnesses to the NEET controversy and its impct on the state of Medical Education in India. The Church too should strive to offer suggestions and solutions to make medical education in India integral and respectful of human dignity. It is necessary to bring new hope and faith into this field rather than allow it to be shadowed by gloom and despair.
In India, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has become a contentious issue, with allegations of fraud and question paper leakage. The examination, which is taken by millions of students annually to enter the medical profession, has been plagued by corruption. The involvement of teachers running coaching centers and the high stakes of the exam have created a fertile ground for corruption. The government’s actions, including setting up a commission to prevent future incidents and conducting a CBI inquiry, are commendable but may not be sufficient to address the root causes of the problem.
The Need for Reform
The high stakes involved in NEET, coupled with the intense competition for medical seats, have led to new forms of corruption emerging. The long-term consequences of such corruption in the health sector are severe, with patient safety being the first casualty. The Church cannot be mute witnesses to this crisis. It is essential to reform the NEET examination and the medical education system to ensure that they are integral and respectful of human dignity.
One solution is to reduce the undue importance of NEET by shedding it of its high stakes. This can be achieved by introducing a premedical undergraduate course based on plus two marks in science. This course would allow students to undergo basic science courses in colleges and universities, utilizing existing resources and expertise. This approach would not only enhance the quality of undergraduate education but also provide students with a solid foundation in basic sciences, research skills, and academic work.
Diversifying Medical Education
Another innovative step is to introduce courses like the Physician Assistant (PA) program, which would allow students to work under the supervision of doctors and laterally join MBBS programs. Additionally, opening nursing practitioners’ courses would help increase the ratio of doctor-patient population and provide alternative career paths for students who may not qualify for medical school.
The current trend in India, where medical education and profession are decided by a single examination, must be discouraged. Instead, a holistic approach should be adopted, incorporating humanities subjects and alternative medical practices. This would not only enhance the quality of medical education but also make it more peaceful and natural, less exposed to corruption.
Ultimately, it is the capacity for awareness, knowledge, and sense of responsibility of the stakeholders that can free medical education from corruption, middlemen, and other malpractices. Steps and reforms to achieve these are crucial, along with reforming the conduct of NEET and punishing the guilty. Medical education is no exception to this call for integrity and dignity.
The Catholic Church in India must take a proactive stance in addressing the NEET controversy and the state of medical education in the country. By advocating for holistic, integral, and dignified medical education, the Church can bring new hope and faith into this field, rather than allowing it to be shadowed by gloom and despair. The Church’s commitment to genuine caritas and the pursuit of human dignity must guide its efforts to reform medical education in India, ensuring that it is not only effective but also respectful of the dignity of all individuals involved.
The author is Associate Prof and HoD (Retd), Dept of English, St Berchmans College, Changanaserry – Kerala
Professor Thomas has clearly expressed the sad status of the cNEET examination process
His suggestion for a premedical course is valuable and has to be implemented.