scanman’s posterous

Deemed universities and their dubious role

GEORGE PAUL

It is encouraging to note that the Yashpal Committee has come out strongly for an immediate moratorium on new deemed universities and a review of the existing ones. It has been rightly pointed out that only 29 deemed Universities were notified in the period of 35 years from the establishment of the UGC Act in 1956. At the same time, more than 63 universities were notified after 1990. Even with adjustments for the increased public need, this number seems like an unnatural growth, not intended for the purpose that the institution of deemed universities was conceived. The concept of deemed universities was mooted by the Radhakrishnan Committee for the express purpose of promoting merit in higher education. It was expected that industry and philanthropic institutions would provide for merit. The concept has been turned on its head and today rich students with mediocre merit are being used to promote the business of education.

an open page article in The Hindu from my friend, neighbour, maxillofacial surgeon and medblogger George.

***must read for all indians***

Dr Meena (name changed) is a BDS graduate. But unlike her classmates she decided to not pursue a career in dentistry. Instead she joined a BPO. Reason: Being a dentist would have fetched her a miserable Rs 2,000 monthly salary against Rs 8,000 plus she is earning at her BPO job.

Meena is not alone. Many fresh BDS graduates are hanging up their white coats and opting for better-paying jobs. Even those are not easy to come by. When they do, it is to work as tutors, medical transcriptionists and in health insurance agencies.

BDS graduates are being squeezed out of the ‘dental’ market as the preference is for those with post-graduate degrees. But PG seats are too few and too expensive to fund. Mushrooming colleges have also led to a flood of new BDS graduates with poor job prospects.

BDS degree holders whom TOI spoke with said they preferred to take non-dental jobs that came their way instead of remaining unemployed. They admitted that they were unhappy with such jobs but salary was a deciding factor.

from an email that George sent me yesterday.

sad state of affairs.

it isn't much better for medical graduates with "just an MBBS" degree. post-graduate specialisation is now mandatory for survival.

Best line: "wtf is public health"

i've wondered the same about our version, which was called community medicine then, preventive & social medicine now.