NEET PG Counselling: Rajasthan Health Minister writes to Mansukh Mandaviya Requesting expedition

Referring to the Supreme Court order dated 25.11.2021, wherein the Central Government had sought four weeks time for reconsidering the Economically Weaker Sections(EWS) reservation in All-India Quota medical seats, Minister Meena pointed out how the postponement of the hearing to January 6, 2022 has halted the NEET-PG Counselling process.

"For this reason, the process of counseling for admission to PG courses in medical colleges is not happening either," mentioned the letter.

The Health Minister of Rajasthan further stated in the letter how the current junior doctors working in the medical colleges are protesting as new students are not joining these institutes due to the pending NEET PG Counseling Process. Except for the essential services, the Resident doctors have boycotted all the other work and this has resulted in the disruption of medical services, pointed out the Minister.

He further mentioned in the letter that the State Government has created 1054 posts of Junior Residents on an urgent basis so that the general public does not face any problems. He further added that the Government is continuously speaking to the Resident doctors and requesting them to join their duties. However, the doctors have not agreed yet and they are urging the Central Government and the Supreme Court to initiate the NEET-PG Counselling process at the earliest, the letter pointed out.

Also Read: NEET PG Counselling: FAIMA calls for Complete Shutdown of Elective Services from December 1

Therefore he requested the Union Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya to take immediate actions regarding the matter so that the general public can avail proper treatment at the hospitals attached to the medical colleges.

Meanwhile, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has referred to this matter in its Press Release and stated, "As a effect of strike by junior doctors in rajasthan in support of FAIMA Doctors Association the Health Minister of Rajsthan Shri Parsadi Lal Meena writing a letter to Union Health Minister has requested to take necessary action in the counselling matter."

While commenting on the matter, Dr Rohan Krishnan, President of FAIMA told Medical Dialogues, "Rajasthan was on continuous strike for the last five days on the call of the FAIMA doctors' association and today also they are protesting for the early counselling process for the NEET PG entrance examination. However, the Health Minister of Rajasthan has taken cognizance of the matter and he has written to the Union Health Minister requesting that the admission to PG medical courses should start immediately. Also the Government of Rajasthan has promised to help the doctors in whatever possible ways."

"Apart from that, he has also promised the appointment of Junior Residents to help he COVID warriors to help in the hospitals. No doubt it is a very good move by the State Government. However, our fight is not with the State Government, but with the Central Government because the whole process of NEET-PG examination and the policy decisions are controlled by the Central Government only," mentioned Dr Rohan.

"Even though Rajasthan Government has promised to appoint non-academic PG JRs, they are not competent or trained enough to fulfill the long lasting gap which is required for the medical fraternity at the present time," he said.

"As you all know, the COVID pandemic is coming again with a new variant, there is a fear among the medical practitioners that the pandemic might hit again and then the doctors will require manpower and backing from the juniors and seniors. The entire hospital system is going to collapse if you remove a chunk of it for almost a year. This is the only cause for which we are fighting. Though we are happy with the move of the State Government, but our fight is against the Union Government. We are requesting them again to take cognizance of the matter at the earliest," he further added.

Dr. Rohan also thanked all the doctors for standing in solidarity and fighting for the same cause and also urged them to ensure that the patients do not pay the price. "As far as I welcome the move to protest, which is required for the management of healthcare in the country, but I want to remind all my fellow colleagues that whatever protest we are doing, one must keep in mind that the patients do not suffer. So, this is my request to everyone to ensure that no emergency services and surgeries stop at any cost," he said.

NEET PG Counselling in the 50 percent AIQ seats was set to commence from October 25, 2021. However, as the OBC and EWS reservation policy that was announced by the Central Government was challenged before the Supreme Court, MCC had postponed the counselling process.

Also Read: More than a month delay for NEET PG counselling as SC gives hearing date January 2022

Previously, the Central Government had assured the top court that till the matter concerning EWS quota gets resolved, no NEET PG counselling would be held. Recently, during the hearing of the case on November 25, the Central Government sought four weeks time to reconsider the matter and the next hearing of the case has been fixed to take place in January, 2022.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that protesting against this continuous delay in the counselling process for PG medical admission, FAIMA had recently decided to go on a complete shutdown of elective services from December 1, 2021. FORDA had been boycotting OPD and Elective services from last Saturday and Junior Doctors' Associations all over the country had participated in the pan-India strike demanding that the NEET-PG Counselling process is commenced immediately.