BENGALURU: The Centre’s decision to postpone the NEET-PG examination has posed another ordeal to doctors aspiring to write it, and those who are already pursuing junior residentship in various hospitals.Doctors said delaying the examination would only extend their anxiety as they have to study for their entrance test. The final examinations for postgraduate doctors have also been delayed as a result.
“The examination is very competitive, one month’s notice is insufficient to brush up on the syllabus for the entrance test. Those who stay back and study get a better chance at clearing it,” said Dr Aidan Barros, a recent graduate of St John’s Medical College. “Postponing the examination only keeps a pool of 50,000 specialist doctors from being subsumed into the sector,” said Dr Sharon S, another NEET-PG aspirant, who has been preparing for 15 months, only to see the examination being pushed from January to April, and now to September, at least.
Dr Sharon said that several people preparing for the examination have quit their jobs and are unable to feed their families, and their ordeal is now being stretched. The PM’s Office on Monday tweeted a decision to postpone NEET-PG by at least four months and that the exam will not be held before August 31. “Students will also be given at least one month of time after announcement of exam before it is conducted,” said the tweet.
The PMO also tweeted that the services of final year PG students as residents may continue to be utilised until fresh batches of PG students have joined. Undergraduate and postgraduate doctors said the fraternity felt they’re being used as cheap and bonded labour.
Criticising various decisions announced by the PMO on Monday as “irrational and unscientific”, the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) said that for post interns, there is no mention of Junior Resident equivalent pay, risk allowance, isolation and quarantine facilities, but they will get a Sanman card. Dr Sharon said the Sanman is not an incentive to NEET PG aspirants or even doctors after PG, unless one is applying for a govt job. Usually, after junior residency, doctors take up senior residency or opt for private practice.