MUMBAI: In a bid to motivate young doctors to opt for rural service after MBBS, the state has decided to set aside 25% postgraduate seats for in-service doctors. A formal government resolution is awaited.
This comes as a relief for young doctors serving in rural health centres, but some say the percentage is too steep and will eat into the open category. Around 1,550 seats are available in the state quota for PG admissions.
State health minister Rajesh Tope tweeted on Wednesday the decision was taken in a meeting chaired by deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Doctors completing at least three years of service will be eligible for the quota, he said, adding the decision will bring specialised doctors to remote areas in the next 10 years.
Pravin Shingare, former director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), said since 2014, medical officers serving in primary health centres for at least three years were eligible for 50% seats in postgraduate diploma courses. These doctors had to serve in rural/tribal/difficult health centres - which very few opt for - to be eligible. However, after a directive from the erstwhile Medical Council of India about five years ago, all diploma seats were converted to degree, leaving them high and dry. "For average students, the 25% reservation will be a good opportunity to pursue postgraduate education, but this will eat into the open category," said Shingare.
A medical officer said they work under the harshest conditions in health centres with no basic facilities. "Only an incentive like the quota will push more students to opt for rural service. It is eventually for the country's development," she said. Usually, around 225 medical officers opted for NEET-PG and around 120 benefitted from the quota seats, said Shingare.
"The decision has come late, so many in-service doctors who have secured admission in private colleges want to resign from their seats and try next year," said education counsellor Muzaffar Khan.
Parent representative Sudha Shenoy said the quota will leave few seats for open category students. Doctors already get 10-30 extra marks for their service in NEET-PG.
