NO

Development vital

India is a developing country. All the money of the government will go into providing free healthcare. Building infrastructure and industries would not be possible — these are important for the development of a country. That said, the government should ensure that the charges we have to shell out does not exceed the cost price and that there is no profiteering.

Yash Saraogi,

Class IX, Birla High School, Calcutta

More taxes

If universal and free healthcare is implemented, the government will collect more taxes from the citizens to pay for the services. Moreover, if healthcare comes for free, people will tend to become careless about their health. Also, the delivery of such services require adequate as well as efficient workers with optimal skills at the facilities. India has got a long way to go in this.

Yafiha Hussain,

Class VIII, Techno India Group Public School, Siliguri

Only in villages

Free and universal healthcare should be provided only to those people who live in rural areas and cannot afford proper healthcare. In fact, proper healthcare systems do not even exist in most places. The healthcare system in urban areas does not need to be free and the money collected from there should be utilised in maintaining and improving those in the rural areas.

Agnidhro Ganguly,

Third year, Techno India Main, Salt Lake, Calcutta

Health budget high

Everything comes at a price. If things become free, people tend to take them for granted. Moreover, India is still a developing state and needs to be on par with developed nations. If healthcare is made free, the health budget will be higher, as a result of which other developmental projects may not flower in time. Nonetheless, healthcare should be made cheap.

Anuron Mullik,

Fourth year, Narula Institute of Technology, Calcutta

YES

Poor majority

A large section of India’s population lives below poverty line. They are already very weak. Keeping them in mind, healthcare should be made free and universal.

Ridhima Mittal,

Class XI, The Heritage School, Calcutta

Right imperative

The right to healthcare is imperative with the right to life. A large part of our population is aged above 60s, for whom accessing healthcare is a nightmare. Also, the exponential rise in costs makes it seem a luxury. The coup de grace of the Covid-19 pandemic has made free and universal healthcare all the more essential.

Aryaa Banerjee,

Class XII, Don Bosco School, Calcutta

Healthy nation

Free medical services will improve the health of the nation’s people, who can then contribute more to the economy. It’ll be an investment in human resources, and hence will have a positive, profitable result.

Ekaansh Agarwal,

Class X, Delhi Public School, Ruby Park, Calcutta

Helps economy

Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. The majority of our population is economically weak, so free healthcare must be provided. Not only do they deserve healthcare regardless of economic status, they also help the economy if they are healthy and able to work. A country with free healthcare can become a developed nation.

Sristi Das,

Class X, Delhi Public School, Siliguri

Improved health

Free and universal healthcare means lower medical costs because the government controls the prices. It also forces hospitals and doctors to provide the same standard of service.

Nupur Poddar,

Class X, Ashok Hall Girls’ H.S. School, Calcutta