Non-service doctors to approach apex court

CHENNAI: Post-graduate medical admissions are likely to be stormy this year as well as service and non-service doctors vie for their right to get seats.

The recent Umanath committee report became the a flashpoint as it broadened the definition of “difficult areas”, which made a large chunk of government doctors eligible for incentive marks in admissions. Non-service doctors are agitated as the report will harm their chances. They have decided to move the Supreme Court against it.

On the other hand, government doctors have announced a massive protest on Monday seeking 50 per cent reservation in the admissions, which they were enjoying till 2016.

“This committee’s report is ag­ainst Medical Council of India (MCI) regulations. We are going to move the SC. Last ye­ar, the SC said PG medical admi­s­sions in Tamil Nadu were conducted unfairly but since the co­unselling was already over, we ­could not do much,” said N Kar­t­h­ikeyan, secretary, Non Governmental Service Doctors’ Ass­ociation.

Controversy around PG medical admission began when MCI regulations made government doctors eligible for incentive marks, but did not recognise exclusive reservation for them. Courts too upheld the MCI rules and admissions were delayed due to a marathon court battle.

This year the State government appointed a committee headed by P Umanath, Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. The panel recommended classifying 2,500 areas as “remote areas” and “difficult areas”, thus making a large number of government doctors eligible for the incentive marks by virtue of their service in government hospitals.

Protest today for 50 per cent quota

Government doctors are set to take the protests to the streets on Monday demanding restoration of 50 per cent reservation for them. Gov­e­r­n­m­ent doctors’ associations are planning to join hands with their counterparts across India to make it a country-wide issue

With non-service doctors announcing that they will move the Supreme Court challenging the recent Umanath committee report, N Kar­t­h­ikeyan, secretary, Non Governmental Service Doctors’ Ass­ociation, said,  “Non-service doctors will be affected despite their merit. Many of them are moving to North to pursue post graduation and face discrimination and in some cases lose their lives too,” he said, referring to the recent cases of mysterious deaths of a few Tamil students in northern medical colleges.

Meanwhile, government doctors are set to take the protests to the streets on Monday demanding restoration of 50 per cent reservation for them. “The MCI’s argument is that only meritorious candidates can be efficient doctors. But in many countries like Cuba, which is a model for public health care system, there is not even an entrance exam for doctors. If there is no reservation for government doctors (in PG admissions), then the public health system would be seriously affected,” said K Kathirvel, secretary, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association (TNMOA).

“We are mobilising all government doctors associations across the country”, said K Senthil, president of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association.