CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday wrote to Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya objecting to the draft Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations on the grounds that they sought to undermine the role of states.
The role of states in the admission of students under their own state quota is sought to be unilaterally removed, Stalin said. "It is unfortunate that such draft regulations have been formulated without a proper understanding of the current predominant role of state governments in this domain. The union government and the National Medical Council need to appreciate the fact that it is only the states which have heavily invested their own resources to create most of the PG seats," he said.
The CM pointed to Section 11.2 of the draft, which attempts to centralize and designate the directorate general of health services, ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, as the designated authority for counselling for State quota seats. This section is clearly contrary to the provision in the Section 15 of the Main NMC Act, 2019, which explicitly mentions that “the designated authority of the State Government shall conduct the common counselling for the seats at the state level”, he said.
Further, Section 10.1 and the sub-clauses under it are an attempt to introduce licentiate examination for enrolment in medical registers and making it serve as a NEET for admission to PG Courses.
"I am of the firm view that the status-quo should be maintained on the admissions for State quota PG admissions seats. I once again strongly reiterate our opposition to the draft Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2021, which hit at the very root of federalism," Stalin said.
