The union minister of health and family welfare, Gulam Nabi Azad has announced that NRI doctors would soon be permitted to practice in India. This came in a surprise to many NRI doctor who eagerly wanted to come to India and set up practice in the country with the hard earned money in foreign countries.

Earlier, people who pursued post graduation in medicine in foreign countries were not allowed to practice in the country. Therefore, they had to work in foreign countries itself. However, government altered the decision since there was acute shortage of doctors in the country.

It has to be mentioned here that the government recently permitted NRI doctors to join as faculty in various medical colleges in India. Also, changes would be made in the National Council of Human Resources Health Bill.

This move of the government was hailed by many people especially the NRI doctors and their families living in India. The educationists have said that this move of the centre would enable more medical graduates to approach foreign countries for higher education and then come back and serve in the country.

(AW Phani)