24 per cent increase in students opting for medical education overseas

Lower fees, good quality of education and better opportunities are reasons for the hike in students going abroad

As per a fresh RTI data, the Medical Council of India (MCI) issued 3,386 more eligibility certificates to foreign medical aspirants looking to enroll in an overseas medical university in the year 2018.

RTI registration number MEDCI/R/2018/51942 states that during the period 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2018, a total of 17, 504 eligibility certificates have been issued by MCI. It is to be noted that there has been a constant increase in the number of students going abroad since 2015. As per the numbers available from RTI no. MCI- 201 (E-RTI)/ 2018- Eligi./, the number of students who applied for the mandatory eligibility certificate from MCI to study medicine abroad almost doubled in the year 2017-18 from 2016-17. Year 2018 saw a further hike in the numbers.

“As per recent data, nearly two lakh more candidates are going to take the NEET exam in 2019, a growth of 14.4 per cent from last year. The entrance test for MBBS/ BDS aspirants saw registrations soar to a record 15.19 lakh candidates as against 13.26 lakh. The number of students has increased but the number of seats remain the same leading to tougher competition. Students that do not secure a government seat are likely to go to foreign medical colleges owing to lower fees, good quality of education and better opportunities,” said Saju Bhaskar, President and Founder of MCI recognised, Caribbean based medical college, Texila American University.

As per the information provided in the previous RTI communication, MCI issued a total of 8,737 eligibility certificates in the year 2016-2017 while 14,118 eligibility certificates were issued in 2017-18. The number of eligibility certificates issued also includes pending of the previous years suggested the RTI reply.

The mandate of getting an eligibility certificate to study medicine abroad came into force only from January 2014. The notification stated that Indian national/ overseas citizen of India who has taken admission in a medical university/ institution outside the country on or after January 4, 2015.