Hi Tony, Whether we like it or not every profession has become a business today. The doctor can own a private hospital, a testing laboratory or several of them - sometimes, even a regional or nation-wide chain. A teacher can run tutoring or coaching classes. A religious preacher can have a TV show that makes profit, or a tax-exempt church, ashram or charitable organization that receives generous donations. So we need to have a clear idea as to what is corruption, and what is a legal and legitimate business practice. I know it is a popular stance to hate a guy who is making a lot of money. But if he is doing it by legitimate means then he cannot be charged with corruption.
If a teacher is running tuition classes on the side to supplement his/her income or to enrich himself/herself, it would not be regarded as corruption, as long as it is not legally prohibited by his primary employment contract, and as long as he/she is not shortchanging on his primary teaching responsibilities. Now if he/she is using his/her primary job as a recruiting tool to get paying students in his/her coaching classes then one might have a borderline case against him/her. Similarly, if a doctor is offering a legitimate treatment for a fee, and ordering medically and ethically appropriate tests from a laboratory, irrespective of whether he/she is charging a high fee or whether the laboratory is run by his/her spouse or not, he/she is not guilty of corruption. The patient has the right to change his doctor or to ask for a second opinion with another doctor, and should exercise that right. The patient also has the right to refuse treatment, but the doctor cannot refuse to treat him/her for any reason, including the perceived hopelessness of the case. Of course, informing the patient about all his/her treatment options and about the prognosis in each case is a doctor's ethical responsibility. Failure to do so might amount to malpractice. But it would only amount to corruption if the doctor is lying to the patient for personal gain, such as offering a medically inappropriate treatment only because it is to his/her own benefit rather than the patient's, or ordering a medically unnecessary test because he/she receives a kickback from the laboratory. Cheers, Santosh --- On Wed, 8/31/11, Tony de Sa <[email protected]> wrote: > > Santosh, > > Wouldn't you think that the scope for corruption in the > teaching profession > is comparatively lesser and rather limited than the other > professions > listed? > > Corrupt individuals exist in every sphere of society. It is > a social evil. > But then if there were no corruption, no crime, there would > be the Utopia > that preachers of all major and minor religions crave for. > So then what > would our CBI do? And the police and our pet monster rats? > And Saviours of > Goa who defected to Kangress? And the A. G.? Last but not > the least, poor > Aires would be deprived of his hobby? > > In response to Santosh Helekar: > <<<<Very sorry to hear that doctors in India > are more corrupt than members > of other professions such as engineers, teachers, > contractors, judges, > lawyers, government servants, politicians, political > activists, priests, > journalists, policemen, etc. Cheers, > Santosh>>>> > > > > -- > "Tony de Sa" < tonydesa at gmail dot com> >
