Dentists to be allowed to practice as General Physicians
Government’s Think tank Niti Ayog has agreed to the proposal of the Dental Council of India which had sought to allow dentists to practice as general physicians after a bridge course.
The proposal was in the backdrop of the call by the Prime Minister’s office to explore unconventional methods to address the shortage of doctors in the country, particularly in rural areas.
Proposal of Dental Council of India
The Dental Council of India had sent a similar proposal to the Medical Council of India last year. The proposal sought:
- A bridge course of 3 years post Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS).
- The admission would be either through a common entrance exam or through cumulative marks secured in the BDS course, or even a combination.
- The syllabus curriculum, scheme of examination, method of evaluation, degrees and registration all these criteria will be the same as recommended for MBBS.
IMA opposes the Proposal
Indian Medical Association has vehemently opposed the proposal. Stating the figures the IMA has said that 63,250 MBBS graduates come out of 494 medical colleges every year and India has only 23,729 post-graduate seats. Unemployment among medical graduates is a cause for concern. The IMA has called the policy has flawed.
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Month: Current Affairs - April, 2019