There are a few professions where the professionals are expected to earn less. If they earn more, there is jealousy, and almost an accusing tone from other members of society!

These professions are teachers, doctors (I mean all types of medical doctors), and priests.

People like to ‘respect’ a teacher TILL they conform to the image that they have -they should be earning well enough to live, but that is all. Teachers should be taking a train or a bus – but should not be flying J class to see their kids in US or Europe. If a teacher teaches in a coaching class (or worse starts one on his own) – people take a jibe. Oh…he is only interested in money (this to socialist India is a crime)

Same treatment is meted out to a priest..I remember a friend’s father announcing a Maruti car (when the announcement was made, a new M800 was priced at a kingly sum of Rs. 100,000) for the finder of a groom for his daughter – (he actually gave it too!) – It was EARNED by a priest! He took the car, learnt to drive and used the car for a long time.

Similarly a doctor who charges high rates is grudgingly seen as a ‘fleecer’…etc.

Hey teachers, priests and doctors live in the same society as a banker. If a banker’s wife and kids have aspirations for travel, car, other luxury items, why is it that these professionals should not?

Why cannot a dentist charge say Rs. 12,000 for a root canal surgery? Why should he feel odd to quote a price above say Rs. 5k because his client is not willing to hear (or listen?)

We have to accept that educating a kid to be a doctor is not cheap. It costs good colleges a lot of  money to create a doctor. So private colleges have to charge a hefty fee – which the patient will HAVE to bear.

We have no knowledge what price we will pay for paying the teachers so poorly…