Common Counselling for MD, MS and DNB courses from next year: MCI BOG decision

New Delhi: In a major move that is going to bring relief to thousands of medicos aiming for PG Medical Courses from next year, the Medical Council of India Board of Governors (MCI BOG) has given its nod to the proposal to include DNB in the common counseling of PG Medical Courses. The move is most likely to be implemented from next year.

The decision to this effect was made in the meeting of the MCI BOG held in the month of July 2020

 The Board of Governors considered and approved the proposal for inclusion of DNB in Common Counselling for PG Courses in view of Order dated 26.05.2020 of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in WP(C) Dy. No. 11011 of 2020 - Alapati Jyotsna & Ors vs. Union of India & Ors. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare should be informed accordingly.

The genesis of the proposal comes in the case of Alapati Jyotsna & Ors vs. Union of India before the Supreme Court of India where the petitioners filed a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India seeks appropriate orders directing the Ministry of Health to conduct "single counseling" for filling up seats in the Post Graduate Medical Courses leading to Degrees and Diplomas and the seats in DNB (Diplomate of National Board) Courses. The petitioners were doctors who appeared in NEET PG 2020 and pointed out that in the counselling undertaken by the Medical Counselling Committee, going by their ranks, the petitioners could not get Degree courses or courses of their choice. Their grievance is that it is only after the regular seats of Post Graduate Courses leading to Degree and Diploma are exhausted that the counselling for DNB courses is undertaken; and those who have secured any seat in courses leading to Degrees and Diplomas 

The petition stated, "Because the candidates like the petitioners are being deprived of their choice of allotment as the counselling for DNB seats is not being conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee. The All India quota consists of various kinds of seats including payment seats and free seats. Suppose the petitioners select a payment seat or a discipline about which they are not keen, they cannot opt-out and wait for counselling by the National Board of Examinations for DNB seats. They may or may not be allotted seat in DNB courses. If the counselling is conducted through a single stream for the DNB courses also, the candidates will be free to opt for either a payment seat of a seat in DNB courses. Now as they are not sure of getting a seat in DNB, they cannot forfeit their seat in the MD and MS courses through the same are not of their choices."

The petitioners further pointed out that DNB Courses have been made equivalent to Post Graduate Degrees of MS and MD. Resultantly the candidates who may get selected for Diploma Courses would thereafter lose the chance to be considered for courses like DNB which are equivalent to Degree courses and would thus be put to great prejudice.

In response, the National Board of Examinations pointed out that the counseling process of PG Medical Counselling including DNB for 2020 had already been initiated and that the counselling and consequential process of admission is now at an advanced stage. NBE however submitted that agreed "in principle" for consideration for conducting common counselling for DNB PG seats along with MD/MS seats from the next year and accordingly a letter dated 27/02/2020 was sent to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India.

MCI in its response also agreed with the idea of common counselling. "It would be in the larger interest of the students that they are given the option of choosing between MD/MS and Diploma seats as well as DNB courses in the online common counselling conducted by DGHS. In other words, the allotment of seats in DNB courses may be done by the DGHS at the time of online common counselling for All India Quota seats in MD/MS and Diploma seats. This will ensure that the students have the option of choosing seats of their choice in MD/MS and Diploma seats as well as DNB seats," its response stated.

However, the council as well was against the implementation for the counseling of NEET PG 2020.

"It is further submitted that as far as the admission for the academic year 2020-21 is concerned the 1st round of counseling for 50% All India Quota seats in MD/MS/Diploma and MDS courses is already concluded and seats have been allotted to the students. In the respectful submission of the answering respondent, at this juncture, to turn the clock back and redo the whole exercise will lead to complete and avoidable chaos. It is most humbly and respectfully submitted that direction, if any, be passed by this Hon'ble Court may be made applicable from the next academic session 2021-22." the MCI in its response stated

Similar assertions were made by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

The court noted that the authorities were  "in principle" to conduct common counseling from the next year.

" Consequently, while refusing to pass any directions in so far as the present year is concerned, we hope that the authorities will be able to have common counselling for DNB PG seats along with all Post Graduate seats leading to Degrees and Diplomas as set out in paragraph 19 of the response of the National Board of Examination so also in paragraph 22 of the response of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for coming years starting with NEET- PG 2021 Examination,"

Following this order, the MCI BOG has now given its nod Proposal for inclusion of DNB in Common Counselling for PG Courses

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