If polls can be held, why not NEET: Doctors

BENGALURU: Doctors in Karnataka are unhappy with the Centre’s decision to postpone the National Eligibility and Entrance Test – PG 2021, which was to be held on April 18, due to the second wave of infections. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Thursday that the exam would be postponed but a new date has not yet been announced.

The exam was earlier scheduled to be held in January and deferred to April 18. The Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) has criticized the move. “When the government can have the kumbh mela, elections and election rallies, is it incapable of conducting NEET PG exams? If they are saying that this decision was taken for our safety, do we have to remind the government that we are the same doctors who have been working i n Covid wards for 8-10 hours in PPE suits and treating patients? Can we not wear masks for 2-3 hours and write the exams in safer places?” said Dr Dayanand Sagar L, president of KARD. He said that the Centre did not understand the mental stress of over one lakh resident doctors who had been preparing for NEET for the past one-and-a-half years.

“They should be allowed to write the exams. We do not want the government to postpone the exams. Those who can get NEET-PG seats can get back into health care and contribute to treatment in the pandemic. This is a very bad move by the government,” he said. Another doctor said, “This is a disastrous decision. One has been preparing for the past one-and-a-half years. Where are the odds of catching the virus higher: in the emergency wards of hospitals or sitting isolated and sitting an exam organized with full precaution?”