JOIN USNaveen's parents urge govt to end medical education mafia, quota system
The grief-stricken parents of Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, who was killed in a Russian shell attack in Ukraine, said that the existing medical education mafia and caste-based reservation system in India have cost them their son’s life.
“Shouldn’t children of lower middle class families aspire to become doctors?”, Shekharappa, Naveen’s father, asked.
Controlling her emotions, Naveen’s mother Vijayalakshmi told DH that the caste-based reservation system should end as low-income families cannot afford medical education here due to high admission fees.
He was telling that he would be a doctor soon and he would set up a clinic in the village and expand the house. But now they are all shattered.”
“It is forcing many deserving and talented youths to fly overseas for medical education. If Naveen had got a seat here, we would not have sent him there. Unwillingly, we sent him to faraway Ukraine, only because it was affordable for us,” she said.
“He could not get an MBBS seat here through NEET as he was short of 13 marks. But those who scored fewer marks than him were qualified due to the caste factor. So, I urge the Government of India to delete caste column from all applications in government setups and prevent migration of Indian talents,” she said.
Shekharappa, a retired private sector employee, said, “We are in a system where medical education is meant only for affluent families. The government must chalk out plans to ensure that medical education becomes accessible for students of backgrounds.”
He said they borrowed a loan from friends and sent Naveen to Ukraine. “He was also determined to do MD in India after completing the degree and serve rural people. But destiny willed otherwise,” he added.
Clinic dream shattered
Naveen’s cousin Kanthesh said that the family had a plan to set up a clinic in the village after Naveen’s medical education.
“They have constructed a small house and left enough space for future plans. Now, all our dreams are shattered.”
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