In a big victory for protesting doctors, the Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya has announced that on Sunday NEET-PG counseling for 2021-2022 will start from 12 January. The minister's remarks come two days after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the blocked counseling process to resume, citing existing OBC (Other Backward Class) and EWS (Economically Weaker Section) reservations in the All India Quota seats as justification.
रेसीडेंट डॉक्टरस को स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय द्वारा दिए आश्वासन अनुसार, माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के आदेश के बाद MCC द्वारा NEET-PG काउन्सलिंग 12 जनवरी 2022 से शुरू की जा रही है।
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) January 9, 2022
इससे कोरोना से लड़ाई में देश को और मज़बूती मिलेगी। सभी उम्मीदवारों को मेरी शुभकामनाएं।
"NEET-PG counseling is being started by MCC from January 12, 2022, following the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, as assured by the Ministry of Health to the resident doctors. This will give more strength to the country in the fight against Covid-19. My best wishes to all the candidates," announced Mandaviya on social networking site, Twitter.
Relief for protesting Doctors
The announcement comes as a relief for the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), which has recently led a weeks-long protest over the delay in starting NEET-PG counseling that affected healthcare services in government hospitals across the country. Notably, earlier his week, the apex court had said the process should go ahead based on the existing 27% OBC (Other Backward Class) and 10% EWS (Economically Weaker Section) reservations in the All India Quota seats.
Supreme Court upholds validity of OBC, EWS quotas The Supreme Court on Friday will pronounce its verdict on pleas challenging the validity of EWS quota in postgraduate medical admissions. There is an "urgent need" to begin the admission process, the apex court had added. The NEET-PG exam was held on September 11, 2021, after being rescheduled twice in January and April.
