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No quick fix: On the state of medical education in India

India must not allow mushrooming of medical colleges without trained faculty and infrastructure

The war in Ukraine has brought to the fore the plight of Indian students, many of them pursuing
medicine. Amidst the turmoil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a webinar on the Union Budget
announcements on the health sector, stated that many young Indians were going to “small countries
of the world for medical education” and, therefore, the private sector should be encouraged, along
with cooperation from States, to set up more medical colleges and hospitals locally so that such
aspirants remain in India. His remarks are well-meaning, but the dynamics of India’s medical
education system are complex. The most sought-after international destinations — traditionally, for
medical education the U.S., the U.K. and a few west European countries — are, however, too
expensive for most Indians. In the last few decades, Russia, China (countries larger than India) and
Ukraine (one of Europe’s largest countries), with their historical commitment to public health care
have been able to offer more affordable, yet quality, education. India’s huge population still continues
to be predominantly rural, but most of the trained medical doctors, paramedics and nurses gravitate
towards cities for well-known reasons. The very nature of medical education, an empirical field,
requires significant infrastructure — land, equipment, and trained faculty at the post graduate level
— all of which are in short supply and uneven in their spread. Without correcting these deficiencies,
India cannot expect to dramatically increase the availability of medical personnel. The Government
needs to make health care the centrepiece of its economic rebuilding.

The anaemic spending on health is not unique to this government; for several years, India’s spend on
health care has consistently trailed several countries comparable to its size which is why there is
barely one doctor for every 1,000 Indians and specialists often a tenth of what is required. These
shortcomings have lubricated the phenomenon of young Indians seeking affordable, quality, health-
care education in other countries. But merely having private establishments start medical schools,
without a long-term commitment to offer necessary training and post-graduate education, could lead
to a repeat of the engineering fiasco after the dotcom boom: a surfeit of engineering colleges without
adequately trained faculty or infrastructure that churn out students who need a further skills upgrade
to be employable. The Government must instead ease procedures for establishing medical colleges,
spend more on infrastructure, and provide incentives for a health-care ecosystem to develop in rural
areas. While not a quick-fix, over time this could facilitate the growth of private and public medical
colleges that could stem the outflow of students aspiring to be doctors. Private investment in
medical education by itself will nowhere be enough. [Practice Exercise]

 Red/ blue coloring of words in the sentence indicates subject verb relationship where ‘Red’ color
denotes ‘subject’ and ‘Blue’ denotes ‘verb’.

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Vocabulary
1. Quick fix (phrase) – an easy but temporary 13. Well-meaning (adjective) – Well
solution to a problem intentioned; kindly, good-natured

2. Mushroom (verb) – develop rapidly, grow

rapidly, burgeon 14. Dynamics (noun) – the pattern or history
of growth, change, and development in
3. Bring to the fore (phrase) – To emphasize
any field.
something or make it more noticeable.
15. Sought-after (adjective) – Much in
demand; generally desired; popular
4. Plight (noun) – difficult situation,
/
predicament, trouble, difficulty
16. Decade (noun) – A period of ten years.
5. Pursue (verb) – be engaged in (course of
action) study

6. Amidst (preposition) – between, in the 17. Commitment (noun) – obligation, duty,

middle of responsibility, charge

7. Turmoil (noun) – disturbance, turbulence, 18. Affordable (adjective) – Inexpensive;

upheaval, trouble उथ - थ reasonably priced; low-priced

8. Webinar (noun) – A seminar conducted 19. Predominantly (adverb) – mainly, mostly,

over the internet (conference /meeting for for the most part, primarily
discussion)
20. Paramedics (noun) – a person who is
9. State (verb) – say, express, utter, tell, trained to do medical work, especially in
declare, affirm, assert an emergency, but who is not a doctor or
nurse
10. Encourage (verb) – support, inspire, egg on
21. Gravitate (verb) –be attracted to, be
drawn to, lean, incline, move
11. Set up (phrasal verb) – establish, initiate,
institute, create थ
22. Empirical (adjective) – experimental,
12. Remark (noun) – comment, statement, experiential; practical, pragmatic
utterance, observation

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23. Uneven (adjective) – inconsistent, variable, 36. Seek (verb) – search for, try to find, look
varying, changeable, fluctuating for

24. Spread (noun) – expansion, proliferation, 37. Merely (adverb) – Just; only, solely, simply
extension /

25. Deficiency (noun) – fault/flaw, 38. Establishment (noun) – business, firms,

imperfection, weakness, weak point, company, organization, undertaking,
shortcoming industry थ

26. Personnel (noun) – staff, employees, 39. Lead (to) (verb) – result in, be the cause of,
workforce, workers, labour force bring on, call forth, give rise to,

27. Centrepiece (noun) – focus of attention, 40. Fiasco (noun) – failure /

centre of attention
41. Dotcom boom (noun) – a large number of
28. Rebuilding (noun) – Reform,
engineering college without qualified and
reconstruction, rejuvenation trained faculty.

29. Anaemic (adjective) – without any energy 42. Surfeit (noun) – excess, surplus,
and effort; weak, feeble, lacklustre abundance, superfluity

30. Consistently (adverb) – frequently, 43. Churn out (phrasal verb) – Produce
regularly, routinely something routinely in large quantities;
produce, make
31. Trail (verb) –be behind, lag behind, fall
behind, drop behind 44. Employable (adjective) – Suitable for paid
work.
32. Barely (adverb) – hardly, scarcely
45. Ease (verb) – facilitate, make easy, make
easier
33. Shortcomings (noun) – fault, flaw,
46. Ecosystem (noun) – System, Environment,
imperfection
network. थ
34. Lubricate (verb) – facilitate, ease, ready,
47. Facilitate (verb) – make easier, make easy,
pave the way for
ease, make possible
35. Phenomenon (noun) – occurrence, event,
happening, fact, situation

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48. Stem (verb) – stop, halt, restrain, restrict, 50. Aspire (verb) – desire to, aim to, have the
control objective of, hope to ,

49. Outflow (noun) – A large amount of people

that moves or is transferred out of a place

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Practice Exercise
1. Which of the following statement is incorrect with respect to editorial? [Editorial Page]
(i) The Incumbent government is the only regime which spends less on health sector.
(ii) Most of the trained medical doctors prefer to work in the rural area for the betterment of
underprivileged section of the society.
(iii) Russia, china and Ukraine offering affordable and quality medical education.
(iv) Most Indians students do not prefer to go U.S, U.K and few European countries because
the referred countries offer big-ticket and quality education.
A. (i), (ii) and (iv) B. (i) , (ii) only
C. (ii) and (iv) only D. (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
2. Why speaker stated that India must not allow mushrooming of medical colleges without
trained faculty and infrastructure?
A. Because India’s spend on health care has consistently trailed several countries.
B. Because dynamics of India’s medical education system are complex.
C. Because it could lead to a repeat of the engineering fiasco after the dotcom boom.
D. Because many government failed to ease procedures for establishing medical colleges.
Direction (Q3 – Q4): fill the appropriate words in the given fillers
3. India and Sri Lanka should find a _______A_______ solution to the issues ______B______
fisherfolk on both sides.
A. Flaunting, Assuaging
B. Precluding, Spawning
C. Exulting, Abashing
D. Lasting, Facing
4. Russia’s Ukraine gambit could ________A_______ key assumptions ________B______ India’s
economic policy.
A. Abridge, Circumscribing
B. Unravel, Driving
C. Decimate, Condescending
D. Appease, Recanting
5. Para Jumble based on Editorial: Troubled water [Answers]
P. Yet, the stakeholders concerned have yet to demonstrate the alacrity required for well-known
solutions.
Q. There are already 29 fishermen in custody in Sri Lanka, as pointed out by Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister M.K. Stalin in his letter to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar a few days ago.
R. The frequency with which Tamil Nadu’s fishermen allegedly cross the International Maritime
Boundary Line, despite being aware of the consequences, highlights their level of desperation
driven by livelihood concerns.
S. As per an estimate, Sri Lankan authorities have also impounded 84 boats.

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T. Fishermen from Tamil Nadu keep getting caught with alarming regularity in the territorial
waters of Sri Lanka for “poaching”.
U. In the latest development, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 22 fishermen who are from
Nagapattinam and neighbouring Karaikal, on Wednesday.
A. TPUQSR B. TPQSUR C. RSQPTU D. PTQRSU
Direction (Q6 – Q8): Select the best express synonym of the highlighted word [Answer]
6. The war in Ukraine has brought to the fore the plight of Indian students, many of them pursuing
medicine.
A. Predicament
B. Increment
C. Visionary
D. Indulgent
7. India’s huge population still continues to be predominantly rural, but most of the trained medical
doctors, paramedics and nurses gravitate towards cities for well-known reasons.
A. Ardent
B. Protract
C. Incline
D. Saccharine
8. Without correcting these deficiencies, India cannot expect to dramatically increase the
availability of medical personnel.
A. Precipitate
B. Shortcoming
C. Imminent
D. Alleviate
Direction (Q9 – Q10): Select the appropriate antonym of the given words
9. The very nature of medical education, an empirical field, requires significant infrastructure.
A. Parsimonious
B. Amiable
C. Proficient
D. Theoretical
10. The anaemic spending on health is not unique to this government
A. Healthy
B. Maverick
C. Perturb
D. Antipathy

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Direction (Q11 – Q15): Spot the grammatical error in the given sentence [Answer]
11. Sheela advised to (A)/ her child not to (B)/ play with the ball (C)/ on the road.(D)/ No Error.(E)

12. It was, in fact, (A)/ her father who prevented (B)/ her at joining (C)/ the police academy. (D)/ No

Error.(E)

13. On the time when (A)/ lightning struck, all (B)/ the people in the (C)/ house were asleep.(D)/ No

Error(E)

14. Not only she want (A)/ to Kashmir but also stayed (B)/ there for (C)/ a month. (D)/ No Error. (E)

15. Considering (A)/ the case, the court (B)/ has passed its (C)/ decision. (D)/ No Error.(E)

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Answers
1. B 2.C 3.D 4.B 5.A 6.A 7.C 8.B 9.D 10.A 11.A 12.C
13. A 14. A 15. E [Practice Exercise]
Explanations
3. Lasting (adjective) –permanent, enduring, long-term, ingrained थ
4. Unravel (verb) – fail, fall apart, collapse, go wrong.
Drive (verb) – Cause something to happen; Lead, guide, direct, steer
5. Fishermen from Tamil Nadu keep getting caught with alarming regularity in the territorial
waters of Sri Lanka for “poaching”. Yet, the stakeholders concerned have yet to demonstrate
the alacrity required for well-known solutions. In the latest development, the Sri Lankan Navy
arrested 22 fishermen who are from Nagapattinam and neighbouring Karaikal, on Wednesday.
There are already 29 fishermen in custody in Sri Lanka, as pointed out by Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister M.K. Stalin in his letter to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar a few days ago. As
per an estimate, Sri Lankan authorities have also impounded 84 boats. The frequency with
which Tamil Nadu’s fishermen allegedly cross the International Maritime Boundary Line,
despite being aware of the consequences, highlights their level of desperation driven by
livelihood concerns.
11. (A) 'to' का प्रयोग Superfluous [अनावश्यक] है क्योंकक 'Advise' एक Transitive Verb है , अत:
इसके बाद सीधा Object का प्रयोग होता है I
जैसे (i) He advised me to prepare for this examination.
12. (C) 'at' के बदले 'from' का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक 'prevent' के बाद Preposition ‘from' का प्रयोग
होता है तथा इसके बाद [V (ing)] का प्रयोग होता है I
जैसे - (1) He prevented me from going there.
13. (A) ‘on the time' का प्रयोग अनावश्यक है, इसे वाक्य से हटाना ऩडेगा क्योंकक 'when' का अथथ ही है
'जब', 'जजस समय' ।
(i) When the lighting struck...
14. (A) 'Not only' का प्रयोग 'went' के ऩहले होगा क्योंकक 'Not only ... but also´ से यहाॉ दो Verbs
को जोडा गया है ।
15. (E) No Error
Explanation in English
11. (A) The use of 'to' is superfluous [unnecessary] because 'Advise' is a Transitive Verb,

so it is directly followed by an Object.

Eg. - (i) He advised me to prepare for this examination.

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12. (C) 'from' will be used instead of 'at' because 'prevent' is followed by the preposition

'from' and it is followed by [V (ing)].

Eg. - (1) He prevented me from going there.

13. The use of 'on the time' is unnecessary, it has to be removed from the sentence

because 'when' only means when', 'whenever’.

Eg. - (i) When the lighting struck...

14. ‘Not only' will be used before 'went' because 'Not only ... but also´ has joined two

Verbs here.

15. (E) No Error.

Explanation of other important words

Sr.NO Words Meanings
Q3 Flaunt verb To show off; to display ostentiously ,
Assuage verb To soothe; to pacify; to ease the pain
of; to relieve
Preclude verb To prevent something from ever
happening
Spawn verb To bring forth; to produce a large
number
Exult verb To Rejoice; to celebrate ,

Abash verb To make ashamed; to embarrass ,

Q4 Abridge verb To shorten; to condense
Circumscribe verb To draw a line around; to set limit; to ,
define; to restrict
,
Decimate verb To kill or destroy a large part of
Condescend verb To stoop to someone else’s level, ,
usually in an offensive way; to
patronize
Appease verb To soothe; to pacify by giving in to , ,
Recant verb To publicly take back and deny
(something previously said or
believed); to openly confess error.

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Q6 Increment noun An increase; one in a series of

increase
Visionary noun Dreamer; someone with impractical
goals or ideas about the future
Indulgent adjective Lenient; yielding to desire
Q7 Ardent adjective Passionate उ
Protract verb To prolong
Saccharine adjective Sweet; excessively or disgustingly ,
sweet
Q8 Precipitate verb To cause to happen abruptly
Imminent adjective Just about to happen थ
Alleviate verb To relieve, usually temporally or ,
incompletely; to make bearable; to
,
lessen
Q9 Parsimonious adjective Stingy
Amiable adjective Friendly; agreeable ,
Proficient adjective Thoroughly competent; skillful; very
good
Q10 Maverick noun A nonconformist; a rebel
Perturb verb To disturb greatly
Antipathy noun Firm dislike; a dislike ,

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