The Christian Medical College, Vellore is currently facing a challenge of having to conform to an admission policy of the government of india for all training courses in medicine! A national Entrance and Eligibility Test (NEET) is compulsorily introduced as the criterion for selection of undergraduate and post graduate trainees. CMC is under obligation to follow this.
CMC has its own admission process for fifty years, with tests conducted at a two stage admission process. Merit was defined as good score in academic subjects and in aptitude, skills, conduct, general knowledge, sense of mission, etc. Now there is a threat to this process if the government were to insist that the only criterion for admission would be score obtained in the NEET!
I feel that an overriding emphasis only on marks obtained in academic subjects does not merit a student automatically to study medicine! The practice of medicine needs a particular inner perspective, attitude and personal calling! There is a strong persuasion in many overseas universities to offer credit to these values while admission is finalised for medical studies!
I wonder whether we can debate on this issue and raise an awareness about the need of ascertaining the larger canvas of person's abilities before a person is chosen to study medicine!
The chairman of th Public Service Commission of Kerala, Dr. Radhakrishan, mentioned in his address at MOSC Medical College at its hospital day that, doctors ought to 'touch and heal', be humble and full of sympathy. They are values inherent to some and acquirable to a large extent when a person is inclined to embrace them! So choose those who are inclined to this attitude or are open to this orientation in life to study medicine!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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