NEET-PG Candidates To Be Included In Mop-up Counseling, Stray Vacancy Round: IMA

New Delhi: In a letter sent to the Union Health Minister on January 27, 2022, Indian Medical Association (IMA) has requested the authorities to allow NEET PG Exam candidates to appear for the "stray vacancy round" and "mop-up" counselling round without any cut-off.

As per IMA, students who appeared for NEET PG have passed their graduation examination and meet the basic eligibility criteria to appear for the counselling round. These students must be provided with an opportunity to appear for the same.

NEET-PG Candidates To Be Included In Mop-up Counseling, Stray Vacancy Round: IMA

In the letter sent, IMA wrote that in this time of ongoing pandemic situation, where the COVID-19 positive cases are rising every day, the authorities can not afford to keep any post vacant in the medical field.

As per the data available, even in the top reputed government colleges, medical seats for para-clinical and basic subjects are vacant. Every year many postgraduate medical seats remain vacant as not enough candidates are selected above the NEET Cut-off.

We can clearly see that those students who have appeared for NEET PG Exam have contributed to preventing the Covid-19 pandemic as interns and junior residents. The students are medical graduates and have undergone vigorous training to receive their MD or MS Degree.

Adding to the statement, IMA said, “India needs a lot of specialist doctors and it must be understood that no seat remains vacant, especially when interested candidates are waiting to take admission, but due to eligibility restrictions they cannot take admission”.

The Indian Medical Association stated that there is a need to take innovative measures in these challenging times. Allowing NEET PG students to appear for the counselling session without any cut-off criteria can be considered as a one-time measure due to the pandemic.

IMA humbly requested the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and NEET authorities to fill the vacant medical seats as soon as possible so that the workforce of available doctors and medical staff can be increased where needed.

“It would be really criminal if all post-graduation seats are not filled even in an emergency situation. This is a humble request from the Indian Medical Association to increase the workforce of available doctors,” the letter further reads.