MUHS moots health sciences edu after Std X

PUNE: The senate of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) recently passed a resolution urging the Medical Council of India(MCI) to examine the possibility of introduction of health science courses after Class X.
"We will soon forward the resolution favouring health science studies at post-Class X level to the concerned regulatory councils, including the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM)," MUHS vice-chancellor Arun Jamkar told TOI on Thursday. "A lot of brainstorming was done at the senate meeting on October 14 regarding the resolution and it was passed unanimously by the members," he added.
An opinion prevailed among the members that students have to put in eight years, i.e., five-and-a-half years for MBBS degree and internship and another two-and-a-haf years for post-graduate studies, to attain the status of a well qualified professional. By the time this happens, the student attains an age nearing 30.
The members pointed out that it is practically possible to introduce heatlh science degree courses immediately after Class X considering that science is the core subject in these courses and it is extensively taught in Class VIII, IX and X.
The MUHS, headquartered in Nashik, is a university created for regulating and co-ordinating studies in health sciences - which includes medical, dental, ayurveda, homeopathy, unani and allied studies like physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing, among others - across Maharashtra.
The varsity's senate is a 76-member body comprising representatives of different stakeholders in health sciences education. This includes representatives of all non-agrciultural state universities; directors of medical education, ayurveda and other streams; public health department; chancellor's (i.e, state governor) nominees; pro-vice-chancellor's (i.e. minister for medical education) nominees; elected members representing principals, teachers, students, boards of studies, deans, etc.
Usually, resolutions passed at the senate meetings are forwarded in a recommendatory form to the concerned body like the state or the Union government or the regulatory councils.
The Amravati University's representative on the MUHS senate, A N Somwanshi, who initiated the resolution, said: "Today, a student after completing junior college spends about 5.5 years (4.5 years degree education plus one year of internship) doing an undergraduate course such as MBBS or BDS. After completing this, several students also pursue post-graduation, which takes another 2.5 years. A total of approximately eight years are spent in education and further two to four years in establishing their profession."
Somwanshi said, "In the first and second years of MBBS, basic subjects like anatomy and physiology are taught, which could also be easily taught to students passing Std X. The learning ability of today's generation has improved compared to earlier generation and this concept could easily be adopted."
Another senate member, J J Pawar, who is the dean at the Government Ayurveda College in Nanded, said, "The main reason behind this resolution was to shorten the duration of health sciences education. Completing post-graduation in medicine consumes too much time as per the present format. With changing times, the format should be re-worked. I do not see any harm in introducing medical education at junior college, i.e., 10+2 level."