As the 12th class exam results are coming, the flow of Malayali students to other states for higher studies has started. The smartest kids score high ranks in entrance exams, qualifying them for admission to professional colleges right here. Those who are unable to do so will have to hunt for the best courses with job opportunities. The flow toward post-graduation paramedical colleges dates back to the days when there were few professional colleges. Good courses in the government sector were rare even when Kerala prided itself on being at the forefront of education. It was only after a constant outcry that the private sector was permitted to start paramedical courses, albeit in a restricted manner. Children from wealthy families have had the opportunity to study medicine and engineering in other states before as well, but children from ordinary families, despite being very smart, did not get admission there due to a lack of seats. This situation changed with the coming of a large number of private medical colleges and engineering colleges. It is also noteworthy that the popularity of engineering courses, which used to enroll students after accepting lakhs, has now started to decline.

Despite this, the government is still reluctant to execute proper guidelines for paramedical courses. Thousands of children still have to go to other states after spending huge amounts of money to get a nursing degree. This course has only 570 seats in government colleges and 2700 seats in private nursing colleges. Despite having more than 3200 seats, many students are forced to go out and study. The fee is between two lakhs to five lakhs rupees. The case with other paramedical courses is also similar. While the maximum fee for the lab technician degree course in government institutions is 85000 rupees, the fee in private colleges is between 2 lakhs to 7 lakhs. The report we published the other day in this regard highlights the massive exploitation and imbalance in this sector.

The government, which has repeatedly claimed to create more jobs, is not opening any new institutes for paramedical courses which offer better job opportunities and also try to keep away those who come ready for it. Physiotherapy has become an indispensable part of modern medicine. Physiotherapists are in huge demand, including in foreign countries, but there is not even a single government-run physiotherapy institution in Kerala. There is a huge demand for the 650 seats available in the private sector and one has to pay lakhs to study here. Branches like optometry, occupational therapy, and speech therapy also have very few seats. This is the time when paramedical staff have better opportunities in developed countries. When about one and a half lakh children leave their families and run to other states to study such courses, the government should try to provide maximum facilities for them here itself.