EdTech company Unacademy has once again come under scrutiny, following controversial remarks allegedly made by Dr SK Singh, a prominent educator on the platform. In a one-minute video clip circulating on social media, Dr Singh can be heard expressing his views on Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) and students studying in private medical colleges. He highlighted the significance of the recently introduced National Exit Test (NExT) in identifying and ensuring the quality of medical professionals in India. “Private college medical students get their MBBS degrees because they have a lot of money but they know nothing and same for FMGs. NExT would effectively filter out these individuals lacking merit,” remarked Dr Singh in the video.
The video was shared by All FMGs Association (AFA) and other concerned associations and FMGs as well.
This incident is not an isolated case of discrimination against FMGs and students from private medical colleges in India. These groups have historically faced bias and have often been considered inferior to those studying in government medical colleges. This perception persists despite the fact that several private medical colleges rank higher than their government counterparts and boast higher pass rates.
Dr Shubham Anand, the National Chairman of the Global Association of Indian Medical Students (GAIMS), in a conversation with EdexLive, emphasises that, ultimately, all medical students must pass the same university exams, regardless of whether they attend private or government institutions. Even FMGs must pass the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) to obtain their licences. “A government seat doesn’t certify you will be a good doctor and I have seen the opposite happening in quite a few instances.”
Dr Anand also underscores the importance of teachers not discriminating against their students based on their backgrounds and encourages educators to motivate all students to excel. “A student should be a student and teacher should motivate all of them to give their best.”
Dr Deepak Kumar, an FMG student, expresses his disappointment with Dr Singh's remarks, stating, "It is wholly inappropriate for a teacher to make such disparaging comments. As someone assisting students in their preparations, he should refrain from making demotivating and discriminatory statements."
Voices from Twitter
Dr Dhruv Chauhan, the National Zonal Coordinator of the Indian Medical Association - Medical Students’ Network (IMA-MSN), shared the video on X (formerly Twitter) and tweeted: “...These are words of an Unacademy teacher who teach them and is supposed to motivate them to pass.”
Dr Praveen Tripathi, a New Delhi-based psychiatrist, on the other hand, tweeted: “...Had the privilege of interviewing many students from private medical colleges who got ranks under 200 in INICET. Similarly interviewed many FMGs who got 200+ scores in the first attempt. While some people will keep trying to bring others down, hardworking students keep delivering the results. Please remember it’s just a difference of 8-10 MCQs that can decide whether a student goes to a good govt college, a private college or has to go outside.”
