Resident doctors across the country are protesting over the delay in NEET PG Counselling 2021 (PTI File)
NEET PG Counselling 2021: The resident doctors' protest against repeated delays in the NEET PG counselling process has hit medical services across the country. Counselling for postgraduate medical admissions, for doctors who have qualified in the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) PG is not likely to start before January. The counselling process has been delayed in view of a petition challenging the July 29 notification of the centre and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to provide 27 per cent reservation to OBC and 10 per cent to EWS students in all India quota medical seats.
The Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta in November told the Supreme Court that the centre will revisit the Rs 8 lakh income criteria set for EWS reservation and take a decision in four weeks. The counselling process will not begin until then.
Following the centre's decision, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) called for nationwide protest and asked resident doctors to withdraw Out Patient Department (OPD) services from November 27.
Resident doctors of Lady Hardinge Medical College during a protest in New Delhi on December 8 (Photo: PTI)
The association had asked the government and the top court to take necessary measures to expedite the counselling and admission process, and to fast-track the court proceedings.
Doctors' protest has disrupted medical services across the country.
Day 4 strike starts with more enthusiasm@FordaIndia#ExpediteNeetPGCounselling2021pic.twitter.com/cZrcxS78Xu
— JDA AMCH (@AmchJda) December 9, 2021
On December 6, a FORDA delegation met Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
The Health Minister has taken note of doctors' grievances and assured early hearing of the Supreme Court case, the association informed later that day.
#PressRelease: A #FORDA delegation led by President, #FORDA had a meeting today with Hon'ble @mansukhmandviya Sir. The agitation will continue & a virtual meeting will be held with State #RDAs today, 6:30 p.m onwards, to decide the future course of action @ANI@MirrorNow@ndtvpic.twitter.com/LlY82gsYZg
— FORDA INDIA (@FordaIndia) December 6, 2021
Meanwhile, doctors have continued their protest. The resident doctors of Ram Mahohar Lohia, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge hospitals in Delhi said they will boycott all routine and emergency services from Monday.
Around 1,000 resident doctors of various medical colleges in Gujarat went on a day-long strike on Tuesday, claiming that shortage of manpower in civil hospitals due to the delay in new admissions. Resident doctors in Rajasthan began an indefinite strike on Monday night.
The doctors' association has now called an urgent meeting to discuss the course of action of the ongoing protest, according to news agency ANI.
An urgent meeting of FORDA has been called today with various RDA representatives to discuss the course of action of the ongoing Resident Doctor's protest over "repeated delay in NEET PG Counselling 2021".
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2021
The next court hearing of the matter is scheduled for January 6, 2022.
