Kerala:Special Coaching for Tribals for medical entrance initiated

Palakkad: Three tribal students from Attapaddi have emerged victorious by getting admission into medical colleges for this academic session. This has encouraged the state government to provide special coaching to tribals in order to increase the number to 15 for next year’s medical admissions.

According to the state’s Chief Secretary (CS), S.M. Vijayanand, the state authorities are planning to get into a collaboration with two Pala Institute’s to train tribal medical entrants of the future.

The institutes’ have decided to partake in the state’s program me as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Tribal Sub Plan funds would be used for the purpose.

“The tribal children to be picked for entrance coaching shall not be chosen purely on the basis of marks since it cannot be the sole criterion,” says Dr Prabhudas, Superintendent of Government Tribal Speciality Hospital, Kottathara.

Of the three who cleared the medical entrance test, Udaya Kumar from Varakampadi, Sholayur panchayat, a labourer’s son obtained the third position and has joined the Kozhikode Medical College. Another student, Karthika bagged the 10^th rank and is with the Thrissur Medical College while Rahul Raj obtaining the 14^th position has entered the Alappuzha MCH. All three winners had enrolled at a coaching institute of the Tribal Department in the year 2015.

2012 saw two tribal students Thulsai and Praveen Chandran from Kallamala-- securing MBBS admission, while a mere three had cleared the medical entrance in the decade and a half prior to that.

Of the aimed 15 this year, only seven have cleared the interview and medical test.

According to the Tribal Department sources, this year’s training is being imparted under Project Shine; and of the 167 students screened, 100 would be given a training till April 2017.

The cost incurred on the programme is estimated to be Rs 60 lacs, incorporating trainer fee & food and accommodation for the students during weekends.The programme is dedicated to the memory of Shine P. Baby who passed away in 2006, while working as a lecturer at Rajagiri College, Kalamassery.