The much-delayed post-graduate medical admissions are set to commence with national-level counselling for MD and MS courses as well as those for diploma and DNB courses on Wednesday, Jan 12.
The time slots have been announced by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). Visit its website www.mcc.nic.in for details.
The counselling is based on the rank list of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Postgraduate), 2021.
The allocation for 50% All–India Quota seats as well as all seats in central universities, deemed universities would be held during the counselling. The seats in central universities include those of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) All–India Quota.
Also all seats for PG DNB course too would be covered during the counselling. (DNB or Diplomate of National Board is a Post-graduate Master's degree same as MD/MS degree awarded to the specialist doctors in India after completion of three-year residency.)
This year's admission to PG medical courses across the country was delayed owing to a litigation on the income limit for reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The Central Government had earlier announced that it would not start PG medical counselling till the Supreme Court took up the case. The court proceedings were delayed as the government wanted more time to review the existing Rs 8 lakh income cap so that more candidates in the EWS category could claim the reservation benefits. Delays owing to COVID-19 pandemic were another factor.
The medical PG counselling gets underway finally on Wednesday as last week Supreme Court, in an interim order, allowed it and upheld the validity of 27 per cent quotas for the Other Backward Classes and 10 per cent for the EWS. The SC bench said that validity of criteria of Rs 8 lakh for determination of EWS for future years will be subject to final adjudication of the batch of petitions and listed the pleas for final hearing on March 5.
Almost 1.6 lakh young doctors are expecting PG admissions this year in the All-India Quota.