Foreign MBBS a necessity, not choice

WHO recommends 1 in 1k people; Medical education has become a nightmare for the middle class

- K KALYAN KRISHNA KUMAR @ Vijayawada

FOR thousands of aspiring doctors in Andhra Pradesh, studying medicine abroad is becoming less of a choice and more of a necessity. Despite a steady rise in MBBS seats in India, the growing dominance of private medical colleges and skewed seat allocations have made affordable medical education elusive, especially for middle-class families.

Parents and students are raising concerns about the limited availability of convener quota (Category A) seats in private medical colleges, which are priced reasonably. As per the National Medical Commission (NMC), 35% of seats are reserved under the management quota (Category B), and 15% under the NRI quota (Category C), leaving fewer affordable options for deserving students.