NEET results show more students opting for non-clinical courses: Health Ministry official

The NEET results show that more students are opting for non-clinical courses in medical and dental colleges, a senior official of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.

Sudhansh Pant, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said this during a conference on the "Role of biomedical scientists in New India" organised by the National M.Sc Teachers' Association (NMMTA).

The NMMTA has been protesting against the Medical Council of India's proposal that "jeopardises job opportunities for those having M.Sc postgraduate degrees".

"Unfortunately, when one talks of medical education, the role of M.Sc medical teachers somehow gets relegated to the background a little bit... Medical teachers who are doctors get prominence.

"The role of M.Sc teachers is crucial. When we analyse the NEET results... I feel that more and more students have been expressing interest in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and paramedical subjects like microbiology," Pant said.

"Earlier, a majority of the seats in non-clinical and para-clinical courses were not getting filled because the candidates won't opt for such subjects. But there has been a gradual shift, there's been a change... more and more students are opting for these subjects. And, I am sure that these are the subjects of the future," he said.

The health ministry official said the government will try and ensure that "whatever best possible can be done for this segment within the overall framework of rules and regulations... will definitely be looked into with full responsibility".

Non-medical teachers are those having medical M.Sc degree/PhD in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology and biochemistry from MCI-recognised colleges.

The National M.Sc Medical Teachers' Association's website reads, "In India, biomedical scientists with medical M.Sc postgraduate degrees are facing an existential crisis of the highest magnitude."