PG medical admission counselling to be carried out only in online mode: NMC
New Delhi (PTI): Counselling for post graduate medical admissions will be done only in online mode now and colleges will have to declare fees for each course beforehand, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has said underlining that no college will admit candidates on their own.
Medical education regulator NMC recently notified the "Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023" according to which all rounds of counselling for all PG seats will be held on online mode by state or central counselling authorities.
There shall be common counselling for admission to post-graduate courses in medicine for all medical institutions in India solely based on the merit list of respective exams, the new regulations states.
"All rounds of counselling for all seats will be held on online mode by state or central counselling authority and no medical college/institution will admit any candidate themselves," it said.
"While entering details in seat matrix, medical colleges shall mention the amount of fees for each course, failing which seat will not be counted," the regulations stated.
Some changes in the examination system have also been introduced which include formative assessment and option of multiple-choice questions in university examinations, Dr Vijay Oza, president of Post-Graduate Medical Education Board of the NMC said.
"This is to bring objectivity in examination and match international standards," he said.
Another change has been made in the District Residency Programme (DRP) to facilitate its implementation for better training of students.
Previously, a district hospital was defined as a 100-bedded hospital. In the new regulations, the requirement has been reduced to 50 beds, Dr Oza explained.
"Under the DRP, doctors can be trained in a district hospital which shall be a functional public sector/government-funded hospital of not less than 50 beds instead of the previous requirement of 100 beds," the regulations read.
The DRP aims to train post-graduate students in district health systems and hospitals to strengthen healthcare services at the grassroots level.
According to the new regulations, once a medical college is granted permission to start PG courses or seats, the course will be treated as recognised for the purpose of registration of qualification for students.
This will solve many difficulties faced by students to register their degree after passing postgraduate examinations, Dr Oza said.
According to the new regulations, undergraduate medical colleges can start postgraduate courses from the third year now. Previously it was from the fourth year in clinical specialties.
Existing or proposed non-teaching hospitals owned and managed by government can start post graduate courses without having undergraduate colleges. This will facilitate government to start post graduate medical colleges in smaller government hospitals/district hospitals, Dr Oza said.
There will be a minimum standard requirement document which will prescribe requirement of infrastructure and faculty clinical material etc. for postgraduate institute.
All students will have to undergo courses in research methodology, ethics and cardiac life support skills.
"For better implementation of these regulations, there is provision of penalty clause which includes monetary penalty, reduction in number of seats( admission capacity) or complete stoppage of admissions," the regulations stated.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
