The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has called for a nationwide strike from Saturday (November 27) over the repeated postponement of the NEET-PG 2021 Counselling process.
In a statement, the association has requested doctors nationwide to withdraw from Out Patient Department (OPD) services from Saturday.
"The already overburdened and exhausted Resident Doctors of the nation fighting at the frontline since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, have been waiting patiently till date for some positive outcome of Supreme Court proceedings in the matter of already delayed NEET-PG 2021 counselling. However, there seems to be no respite to their physical and mental distress, with the next court hearing scheduled on 6th January 2022," the statement read.
“We hereby urge upon the union government and the Supreme Court of India to take note of the grievance of resident doctors and take necessary measures for expediting the NEET-PG 2021 Counselling as well as admission process and to fast-track the court proceedings on an urgent basis," the statement read further.
"The onus of any such unfortunate situation affecting healthcare services will be on the concerned authorities,” the statement said.
The Apex Court yesterday directed for listing the hearing on petitions challenging the validity of the Centre's decision to implement reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections in NEET PG admissions, on January 6, 2022..
The NEET PG was conducted on September 12 and the provisional answer key was released on October 15, 2021. Around 16 lakh students have appeared for the examination this year.
However, the counselling by the MCC is yet to start.
Because of the pending decision on the OBC/EWS (economic weaker section) quota in the all-India quota for medical admissions, the Supreme Court stayed the counselling for NEET-PG without its approval, after the Centre assured it not to commence the counselling before any court decision.
The top court had clarified that it is not embarking on the policy domain of the government, but it wants to ascertain whether the constitutional principles have adhered.
