More Doctors opting for non-clinical courses: Health Ministry official

"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."

"A hostile Medical Council of India and an indifferent government that is rife with policy paralysis are making matters worse," it alleges. Those pursuing medical M.Sc courses in colleges are trained to render services as consultants in diagnostic laboratories, teachers of non-clinical subjects and scientists in research establishments.

"Shrinking job opportunities and intensive lobbying have resulted in the incorrect portrayal of these degrees and denial of opportunities in the area of their expertise. Neither the Health Ministry nor the HRD Ministry has any clue about the conduct of these courses. There is no professional council to regulate these courses or registration of these degree holders," a page on the website reads.

"The lobbyists are working overtime to exclude biomedical scientists from diagnostics. Now, the MCI wishes to reduce the non-medical faculty to 15-25 per cent and then subsequently stop hiring them," the NMMTA claims.