Medical PG entrance aspirants sweat it out for forms

Applicants to post graduate courses in medicine and surgery had a tough time on Thursday as they queued up for procuring application forms for the entrance examinations. There was chaos and confusion as the mode of conduct of examination had been changed from this year with the National Board of Examinations entrusted with the task to conduct the tests. The entrance examinations for various MD and MS courses as well as post graduate diplomas are scheduled to be conducted between November-end and December. The applications forms for the diploma courses began to be distributed from Wednesday while forms for MD and MS entrance tests started to be issued from Thursday.

Hundreds of MBBS graduates and their parents waited for hours in front of the Axis Bank branch near the Lakshmi Mills junction in the city, which was the only centre from where students could get tokens on payment of fees. They had to upload a secret number then on the internet. Students complained that the bank did not have necessary facilities to cater to such a large crowd.

Dr N Sakthivel, who is taking entrance tests for both PG degree and diploma courses, said they had to wait for almost six hours to get tokens. "We were waiting from around 6am on both days," he said. Though the applications will be available for the next two weeks, students had come in large number on the first day itself as the number of centres in south India was limited, he said.

Dr H V Manjari, who waited till 12pm to get the application forms, complained that the entire process was disorganised. "There is only one centre in the city to issues applications. There are only few centres in south India which have been filled up in the early hours. Now the centres vacant are in Assam, Kashmir and other distant places," she said. Till the last year, the All India institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) used to conduct the entrance examinations. "They used to conduct it in a commendable manner," said Dr Vyshali Mohan another aspirant.

The number of centres for the examinations must be increased from the present 30. Around 2 lakh students appear for the examinations and there ought to be more centres, students point out.

However, bank officials blamed server problems for the chaos. "Extra counters were arranged, but the server got jammed. Similar problems were reported from other parts of the country also," a bank official said.

Tough time for med aspirants after admission round limit

The worries of students and their parents in securinga seat in a private medical college has taken a different form this year.

A Supreme Court order says the Association for Private Unaided Medical and Dental Colleges (APUMDC) can conduct only two admission rounds and not three like before. Students who did not get seats in the two rounds are now seeking admission individually to the state's nine MBBS and 19 BDS private colleges.

Divya Sagar (name changed), a Mithibai College student, is planning to drop a year and try for the course next year. However, she is also worried about the difficulty level of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, to be introduced from 2013. "One college claimed they have no vacant seats, but the association's list shows it has nearly 30 vacant seats. We will have to approach individual colleges in a week's time. I approached colleges in Khed, Jalgaon and Navi Mumbai but could not check with others as they had closed admissions."

Ajaz Rawoot, a parent, said, "After the two rounds, colleges had to issue advertisements or display vacancies on their website. Not many have followed the Pravesh Niyantran Samiti (PNS) rules. Colleges were supposed to give us time till September 21 for application and counselling but several closed admissions on September 18." Another student said she would have got a seat if there would have been a third round. She said colleges are claiming there are no seats and asking for donations.

APUMDC chairman Kamal Kishore Kadam said, "After the two rounds, the association had sent the procedures to be followed to all the members and a letter asking them to follow the SC verdict. If colleges fail to do it, it will amount to contempt. Students can approach the PNS or even the court."

"After the centralized process, colleges have to put up a merit list and get it approved by PNS. If students' ASSO-CET scores are higher than the cut-offs listed, they can approach the authorities," added Kadam.

Some students have approached Forum For Fairness in Education for help.

Those who could not secure a seat in two rounds have been seeking admission to institutes individually.

The healing touch

If you are in search of knowledge and enlightenment then you'll firstly seek material tools that aid ones evolution. And as people walk the spiritual path it becomes more than just buying a few products — it actually turns into an entire lifestyle. Metaphysical, Occult, Wiccan, Pagan, or New Age stores — call it by any name — these stores are now manifesting across the human realm. "This concept is gaining popularity all over the world today. The term 'metaphysical' refers to spiritual. Earlier these stores were called occult, but the shadows on occult are now removed and it is no longer required that we use this term. Therefore , the term metaphysical or spiritual is preferred for stores selling spiritual products or services," says Swati Prakash, witch and president of Tarot India Network. 

"An ideal metaphysical store will house crystals and gemstones, divination cards like the tarot decks, runes, i-ching , angel oracles, incense and incense burners, essential oils (gem scents, herbal blends, psychic oils, pure oils), epsom salt, Moroccan lamps, coloured candles, herbs such as sage, cedar (smudge sticks), metaphysical books, and relaxation music, among many other things," says Vinay Nasta, managing director, The Laughing Buddhaa in Mumbai. 

EMERGING AREAS 

As more Indians travel abroad they are learning various spiritual practices. And Wicca among the many is gaining in popularity. "Wicca is the only religion in the world that has a policy of 'harm none' as per the Wiccan Rede or code of ethics. Wiccans do not use prayers, spells or thoughts that are harmful to anyone. In no other spiritual system or religion will you find this," says Prakash. In India we often see only the sale of fengshui items, crystals for reiki or incense. We are increasingly seeing the demand for angel cards, and other similar items. "As we are opening to embracing the worshipping of feminine energy we begin to read literature about witches who are actually evolved souls and protectors, unlike portrayed in popular media as being evil. As individuals equip themselves with more knowledge there is a growing market that wants spell kits, wands, athames, brooms, ritual supplies and books on Wicca," says Vrushali Nadkerni , angel therapist and metaphysical goods supplier based in Dubai. 

INVESTMENT 

The start of any store requires capital: capital for land, interiors, initial stock, operational costs, cost of human resources including your own, cost of technology and systems , and cost of brand building and promotions. "In metaphysical stores you need to invest a little more because people are still unaware and, therefore, a lot of promotions may be required for its success," says Prakash. 

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES 

According to Delhi-based Neelam Verma of Cosmic Rhythms, spirituality is an abstract concept and, therefore, running a store like this is a matter of 'serendipity.' "My aim is to heal people and the store that I happen to run now is just an incidental outcome." Excellent spiritual healing skills and qualifications are a must, says Prakash. "Such a store needs someone who is a leader and is renowned in the field." She also lists charisma and brand building skills because such a store requires spreading awareness and correct information to the public. And finally excellent management skills and qualification are a must because such a store requires impeccable policies and practices of running, according to Prakash. 

FUTURE PROSPECTS 

As lot more people turn towards spirituality they prefer to surround themselves with positive things deliberately selected and bought. "People are now interested in knowing the symbolic meaning of things. Even if they choose an object to decorate their home they prefer to go as per fengshui and place it in the right area because they know that everything has an energy effect. As people begin to learn the real meaning of everyday things and gain awareness that everything is ultimately 'energy' as proven by science — the phenomena of metaphysical or spiritual store is a force to reckon with," says Prakash who runs the metaphysical store Magick in Mumbai.

Doctors going to US for studies will have to sign bond for return

The government today said any doctor going to the US for higher medical studies would have to sign a bond with it before leaving and honour the document by returning to India after finishing the study period.

"From this year onwards, any student going for further medical education to the US will have to give us a bond that he will come back after finishing the studies. In the last three years, 3000 doctors went abroad for studies and did not return. Now if a student does not come back from the US, he won't be allowed to practice there," health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

He said the US from this year onwards is insisting on a government NOC to every student enrolling with an American institute for studies.

"No other country except the US is asking for this NOC. Those who apply to go to the US for studies from 2012, will have to give us a bond saying they would come back after finishing the studies. If they don't fulfill the bond obligation, we can write to the US to deny the student permission to practice," Azad told reporters here.

The minister also expressed the hope that the MCI will give its approval to the proposed three-year Bachelor of Rural Health Care course, which seeks to create a separate cadre of public health professionals in the country to serve in rural areas. He said the doctors' organisations were not interested in the course.

"Doctors' organisations are opposing the course. I have no hesitation in saying that they have a vested interest to increase their practice," Azad said.

Azad said there was a paucity of doctors in primary health centres as doctors only wanted to stay in urban areas.

"The rural health care course was ready two years ago. The curriculum is also ready. States are free to implement the course, as Assam is doing, but we wanted the MCI's recognition to ensure uniform standards for the course across India. We hope the MCI will move fast on it," he said.

The course, Azad said, would create professionals above the level of paramedics and below the level of MBBS doctors.

The move is aimed at not just taming the quacks, who have a field day in rural areas in the absence of adequate medical facilities there, but also provide good medical aid to the rural population at their doorstep.

It is being opposed by doctors' lobby as patients from rural areas rush to private practitioners in urban areas, even as doctors' organisations feel the creation of a new set of professionals would confuse the population and lead to devaluing the doctors, official sources said.

India to roll out common entrance medical exam from 2013

It's now official - the common National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to Under Graduate (UG) will be conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) while it will be the National Board of Examination that will conduct the Post Graduate (PG) exams.

India is all set to roll out NEET from 2013-14.

Putting ghosts to rest, the Union health ministry has informed state governments that their existing reservation policies would not be disturbed under the proposed scheme and state wise eligibility merit lists will be prepared for the respective state authorities to admit students for admission in accordance with their admission criteria in the institutions located in the respective states.

The Medical Council of India has also revised the syllabus for NEET-UG.

The qualifying criterion has been changed from percentage of absolute marks to percentile to ensure that no seat remains unfilled. Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Monday "A few state governments had expressed concerns about the proposed NEET particularly with regard to the syllabus for the NEET for UG, reservation of seats, medium of examination, as well as their own preparedness to introduce the scheme from the academic year 2012-13 and whether once introduced some of their seats would go unfilled because of high merit. The government has addressed all the concerns."

The ministry has also set up a coordination Committee "with all relevant stakeholders as members, which will address any issue relating to the admission process, including regional language as medium for conduct of NEET."

NEET would mean a single entrance examination will be held for MBBS and MD courses offered by all 271 medical colleges, 138 run by governments and 133 under private management. These colleges offer over 31,000 seats for MBBS courses and another 11,000 seats for PG degrees.

Experts say NEET would reduce hassles for students appearing for multiple medical exams.

"Once implemented, the NEET would be applicable to all medical colleges which come under the ambit of MCI, including private medical colleges," Azad said.

Among the states that was against the introduction of NEET in 2012 included West Bengal Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa had showed readiness to join NEET from 2013-14 but AP sought exemption for two years, saying it would join from 2014-15.

"At present, about 17 entrance tests are held to fill 32,000 UG seats in medical colleges across the country," a ministry official said.