NEET-PG exam postponed for 4 months, medical interns can be deployed for Covid duty

Amidst the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, the Centre on Monday postponed NEET-PG exam for four months and allowed medical interns to be deployed in Covid management duties under the supervision of their faculty.

"A decision was taken to postpone NEET-PG for at least 4 months and the exam will not be held before 31st August 2021. Students will also be given atleast one month of time after announcement of exam before it is conducted. This will make a large number of qualified doctors available for Covid duties," the government said in a release.

Besides, it allowed utilising services of final year PG students (broad as well as super-specialities) as residents until fresh batches of PG students join. "It was also decided to allow deployment of medical interns in Covid Management duties under the supervision of their faculty, as part of the internship rotation."

 

In order to further augment the manpower to find the pandemic, the government said services of final year MBBS students can be utilised for providing services like tele-consultation and monitoring of mild Covid cases after due orientation by and under supervision of faculty. "This will reduce the workload on existing doctors engaged in Covid duty and provide boost to efforts of triaging."

It was also decided to allow B.Sc./GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) qualified nurses for full-time Covid nursing duties under the supervision of senior doctors and nurses.

 

To further incentivise individuals to provide their services for Covid management, it was decided that such individuals will be given priority in forthcoming regular government recruitments after they complete minimum of 100 days of Covid duty. Besides, all such professionals who sign up for minimum 100 days of Covid duty and complete it successfully will also be given the Prime Minister's Distinguished Covid National Service Samman.

"The medical students/professionals sought to be engaged in Covid related work will be suitably vaccinated. All health professionals thus engaged will be covered under the insurance scheme of government for health workers engaged in fighting COVID-19," the government said.