No NOC yet: Karnataka in-service doctors fear missing PG allotment amid health dept delay

Bengaluru: In-service doctors in Karnataka, who plan to pursue postgraduate medical courses in the State this year, are concerned over the lack of permission from the State Health Department, which has still not allowed them to participate in the allotment process.

Thirty percent of the total available postgraduate medical seats are reserved for in-service candidates. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has commenced the registration process, and the document verification process is still ongoing.

However, without any confirmation from the Department of Health and Family Welfare for in-service doctors to participate, the KEA has not allowed them in the document verification process.

Meanwhile, sources from the Health Department have informed that, considering the previous instances where a majority of the in-service candidates opted for subjects like dermatology and radiology, which are not of much use at the taluk-level hospitals, the department is yet to allow them to take up the course.

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Commenting on the matter, a source from the State Department of Health and Family Welfare told Deccan Herald, "We need expert doctors at taluk hospitals mainly for orthopaedics, gynaecology, general medicine, general surgery and pediatrics. Unfortunately, in-service candidates are opting for subjects like dermatology and radiology. Hence, we are still discussing giving No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the current year."

The main reason for doctors to choose dermatology and radiology as their subjects, the sources informed, is that they are less stressed at the taluk level and they can easily practice privately during the evening hours.

"Gynaecology and general medicine are 24X7 work. Whenever they get a call from the hospital, even in the wee hours, they must visit the hospital," the source informed.

Even though other departments, including ESO, Boards and Corporation, Autonomous and BBMP also have PG medical seats reserved for admission, the highest number of seats are reserved for those from the Health and Family Welfare Department.

The existing norms specify that the in-service doctors cannot leave their job for 10 years after they pursue the PG course as the government pays their tuition fees and also pays them a salary during that period.

Worried about missing the opportunity, the in-service candidates opined that the department can restrict a few subjects. Commenting on the issue, an in-service doctor said, "Many of us want to study courses like general surgery, general medicine and orthopaedics. If we miss this opportunity, we have to wait for one more year and it will be difficult to compete with young doctors to get seats in future."

In the last three years, even 50% of the seats were not filled by in-service candidates and during 2024, among the 353 seats available under the in-service quota, 122 seats were allotted, and 231 seats were converted into non-in-service quota.