I’ll be sharing with you my opinion on both.
As a 6-year MCh candidate, you’ll rotate through 10 months of general surgery. However, general surgery skills aren’t of much use in Neurosurgery, except the very basic knot-tying and suturing skills. You can also acquire those from dedicated lab practice. The other techniques followed in Neurosurgery are very different from those followed in general surgery.
Neurosurgeons generally use access surgeons (thoracic surgeons or urologists) to perform unconventional approaches to the spine. It is much safer for the patient. Also, opting for a 6-year course after MBBS means one less entrance exam.
So it isn’t very beneficial for you to take up 3 years of MS general surgery. I would recommend you choose the direct 6 year Mh Neurosurgery course at AIIMS or NIMHANS instead.
Surgery can’t be read and understood. Also, no matter the number of simulations you run through, practicing on a human body is very different.
Now, with their limited number of beds, these institutions perform complex surgeries through protocol defining procedures. As a resident at these, you won’t perform many surgeries. Also, you’ll have a limited exposure to trivial diseases. On the flip side, you’ll witness some of the best surgeons at work, and access top notch technology. To master surgery, you’ll have to become an SR at these institutions.
But at a decent government college hospital, the volume of patients is very high. As a result, you’ll be pushed into the OT. So you’ll get good practice, under proper supervision. However, at these colleges, protocols take a back seat. You’ll have to compromise with low funding as a resident at these institutions.
I would personally recommend going for a decent government college. But you should choose according to your own preferences.
The General Surgery is one of the best departments in JIPMER. Most residents here are extremely friendly and well-educated. This department has some of the best professors. Our HOD, Dr. Kate is a gem of a person and it's an honor to know him personally. Dr. Sistla is one of the senior-most professors in the department and is the role model of many.
The first-year residents have a hectic schedule due to an overload of work. There are all kinds of surgeries in JIPMER including many trauma surgeries so the OTs are busy all day.
Overall, the Surgery department is one of the best and if you made it to MS at JIPMER, and are willing to work 24*7, during their first year, you should definitely go for it!