Opposition slams Union Minister Pralhad Joshi over NEET remark amid Ukraine crisis

New Delhi, March 1

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday came under attack from the Opposition for his remarks that 90 per cent of the Indian students who studied medicine abroad failed the Indian medical entrance tests (NEET).

The Minister also said 60 per cent of the Indian students who go abroad land up in China, Russia and Ukraine with the cumulative MBBS fee in these countries being around Rs 35 lakh, including the cost of education and living expenses.

In contrast, the MBBS course in any private medical college in India costs between Rs 45-55 lakh.

Joshi’s statement, which triggered a debate in medical education circles, served as fodder for the Opposition attack.

Congress media head Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Minister had insulted Indian students with his remark.

“This is the tragedy where the BJP government has no evacuation plan while Prahlad Joshi decries and insults our students in Ukraine. This is a government of only photo ops, no action.”

A senior member of the National Medical Commission, the apex medical education regulator, however said Joshi’s remark needed deeper debate on the continuing unaffordability of Indian medical education and the wide gaps between demand and supply.

The high fees of MBBS education in India stems from years of inertia in the establishment of new medical colleges.

Some momentum has been gained in the recent past, but much more needs to be done.