Mumbai: The National Medical Commission has informed all medical colleges to continue services of final year Postgraduate (PG) medical students as Resident Doctors to ease the load in terms of the Covid-19 crisis.

Considering the surge in Covid-19 cases and delay in conducting final year PG medical exams, the National Medical Commission, a body that regulates medical education and medical professionals in India, issued an advisory for all medical colleges. The commission said, "Due to the Covid-19 surge, final year examinations of PG medical courses have been delayed. Also, the Postgraduate-National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to PG medical courses has also been delayed."

"Consequently, the start of the academic session 2021-22 will be delayed and a new batch of PG students will join their respective colleges only after counseling following the PG-NEET. In view of these circumstances, in order to ensure there is no shortage of Residents in handing the surge of Covid-19 cases, the services of these PG students as Residents may be continued to be utilised until fresh batches of PG students have joined."

The commission has also advised all medical institutions, including central, state and union territory government or private institutions, to continue to provide accommodation and stipend to final year PG students during this extended period.

The commission said, "All medical institutions, including central, state and union territory government or private institutions, are advised to continue to provide availability of accommodation and payment of stipend to all such final year PG medical students during this extended period."