Karnataka governor concerned over expensive medical education

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, who served for 20 years as finance minister in the Keshubhai Patel and the Narendra Modi governments in Gujarat, rued high donations had become the order of the day in the medical education system in Gujarat and the country.

Vala, who was the speaker of the state assembly when he was shifted to Bengaluru as the governor after Modi took over as prime minister, castigated the administrative machinery over huge donations demanded by the private medical colleges in the state and other parts of the country.

"A person has to pay a minimum of about Rs.1 crore donation to get admission in the private medical colleges. After paying such huge donations, how do you expect such doctors to go to the rural areas and serve the poor?

"He will naturally be concerned about first raising the money his father has spend in donation to make him a doctor," he said.

The Karnataka governor was in Rajkot, his home town, to attend the 50th foundation day celebrations of the Saurashtra University. State Higher Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, who was also present kept mum over the issue.