look news india
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has taken a very important and far-reaching decision for the medical and paramedical students across the country in the field of higher education. UGC has issued a new framework making major amendments in the rules for degree courses related to Allied and Healthcare Education. Under this new change, now the degrees of Master of Physiotherapy (M.PT) and Master of Occupational Therapy (M.OT) will not be given as a normal master’s degree, but they will be directly linked with the name of the respective specialization. After getting the approval of the Central Government, this notification has also been published in the official gazette, which is going to be implemented effectively in universities and higher educational institutions across the country from the academic session. The main objective of this new change is to make the degrees awarded to students more transparent, professional and in line with global standards, so that qualified experts can be prepared as per the needs of the job market in the medical and healthcare sector.
New specialization and course structure decided in M.PT and M.OT courses
According to this new revised rules of UGC, the minimum duration of both M.PT and M.OT master courses has been fixed at 2 years, for which it will be mandatory for the students to have a Bachelor’s degree in the relevant subject. A total of 8 major specializations are included under Master of Occupational Therapy (M.OT) which include important areas like Musculoskeletal Sciences, Pediatrics & Neonatology, Neurosciences, Mental Health, Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Sciences, Rehabilitation, Geriatrics, Hand and Oncological Sciences. Similarly, major changes have been made in the structure of Master of Physiotherapy (M.PT) course and it has been divided on the basis of specialization, which includes Musculoskeletal Sciences, Neurosciences, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Sciences, Sports Sciences, Pediatrics and Neonatal Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology Sciences, Oncology Sciences and Community Rehabilitation. Sciences have been given a prominent place. With all these changes, students will get the opportunity to study in depth in the field of their choice and expertise and their mastery will be directly registered on their degree, which will open new and better avenues of employment for them not only in the country but also in foreign countries.
Rules for old students and expansion of other courses related to healthcare sector
Clearing the doubts arising in the minds of students regarding this new change, UGC has made it clear that this new rule will not be applicable at all to those students who had taken admission in M.PT or M.OT courses even before the scheduled academic session. Old students will be awarded degrees as per their old rules and prescribed arrangements. Apart from this, many other important paramedical and healthcare courses have also been added in this fifth amendment based on the recommendations of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP). These include many modern courses like Medical Laboratory Science, Anesthesia and Operation Theater Technology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Medical Radiology, Dialysis Therapy and Respiratory Technology. Education experts believe that this step of UGC will make the medical education system of the country completely modern and of international standard, which will further strengthen the balance between demand and supply of skilled professionals in the field of health services and medicine in the coming times.