Imposing MCI regulations for PG course admissions unfair’

TNGDA says it will also stage a State-wide protest today

Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association (TNGDA) has registered its concern over Madras High Court’s ruling on Tuesday upholding Medical Council of India’s (MCI) regulation in awarding incentive marks to service doctors working in remote or difficult areas in admission to postgraduate (PG) courses.

The ruling had nullified regulations already in force in Tamil Nadu for the award of incentive marks.

The TNGDA said while existing TN rules for incentive marks gave justified advantage to doctors working in hilly/remote or difficult areas, the MCI regulations provided disproportionate advantage to them by awarding up to 30% of their National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) score as incentive in preparation of merit list.

Stating that it would appeal against the High Court’s ruling, the TNGDA said it would also stage a State-wide protest on Thursday by boycotting outpatient consultation from 7 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.

K. Senthil, State president, TNGDA, said the present TN regulations for PG admissions gave one mark for every year of service in rural areas, two marks for every year of service in hilly and difficult/remote areas, limited to a maximum of 10 marks.

“The merit list will be drawn for 100 marks, of which 90 marks will be based on the candidates NEET score,” he said.

“The MCI regulations, however, gave 10% of the NEET marks as incentive to service doctors for every year of service in hilly/remote or difficult areas, limited to a maximum of 30% of the marks,” he pointed out, adding that such a huge incentive would unfairly boost the ranking of such candidates.

‘Incentive unnecessary’

Arguing that the MCI regulation was brought in by having the disparities in the availability of doctors in remote areas in many North and North-eastern States, Dr. Senthil said such an incentive was unnecessary in Tamil Nadu.

A PG aspirant working in a primary health centre in Madurai, speaking on anonymity, said imposing MCI regulations in Tamil Nadu would lead to increased demand and consequently corruption for getting posted to the few hospitals, classified as remote or difficult in the State.

Madras High Court, in its ruling, had pointed out that Tamil Nadu’s regulations, which were mentioned for this year’s prospectus for PG admissions, could not be enforced since Tamil Nadu Admission to Postgraduate Courses in Medicine and Dentistry Act, 2017, brought in to avoid NEET, had not received President of India’s assent.