Strange suggestion

Sir, - A few days ago, there was a letter from the President of the country advising the Medical Council of India to reduce the percentage of marks for selection to the medical colleges for the backward classes. This is, indeed, very strange coming from the first citizen of the country.

A decade and half ago, the Health Minister at that time asked my opinion whether the entrance marks should be reduced for the backward classes. My reply was, ``Yes, by all means, provided you pass a resolution in the State Assemblies and Parliament that all MLAs, MPs and bureaucrats take treatment only from doctors who qualify with low marks.'' Naturally, the Minister was upset with me.

What will happen is that these doctors will be posted in rural areas where the poor will have to have their treatment, whereas the rich and powerful will get the best treatment. Does the Government want the poor of this country to get low grade of medical help forever?

Dr. B. Ramamurthi,

Chennai

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