More Indian Medical Aspirants Want To Study MBBS Abroad: Applications For Eligibility Certificates Almost Double

A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that the number of students choosing to study medicine abroad has increased, reports Deccan Chronicle.

The reply to an RTI query to the Medical Council of India (MCI) in October 2018 has revealed that the number of students who applied for the necessary eligibility certificate from MCI to study abroad almost doubled in 2017-18 compared to 2016-17.

According to reports, the number of applications received rose to 18,383 in 2017-18 as opposed to 10,555 in 2016-17.

The MCI issued 8,737 eligibility certificates in 2016-2017 and 14,118 certificates in 2017-18. The eligibility certificates issued also include pending ones from previous years, the RTI reply suggested.

"One of the key reasons for student migration is the lack of medical seats in the country”, said Saju Bhaskar, President and founder of Texila American University.

He added that there is a shift in medical education trends as both government and private colleges are offering just 60,000 medical seats. He claimed that affordable fees as compared to Indian private colleges, quality curriculum and global growth opportunities is one of the reasons for students choosing to study MBBS abroad.