New Delhi (PTI): Counselling for NEET-UG, 2024, is expected to start by the end of this month, official sources said.
The counselling session was likely to begin in the first week of July. However, the counselling authorities had not notified any date or schedule.
The sources said the process of issuing permission letters to some medical colleges was still underway and additional seats were likely to be added.
"The date of counselling will be announced once the exercise gets over to ensure seats of the new colleges can be taken up in the first round itself," an official source said.
They said the counselling process might begin later this month.
Amid growing clamour for cancellation of the controversy-ridden National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG), 2024, over alleged malpractice, the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) told the Supreme Court on Friday that scrapping it without any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality would be counterproductive as it could "seriously jeopardise" lakhs of honest candidates.
The apex court last month refused to defer the counselling process. It was hearing a petition seeking a direction to pause the process for two days.
The NTA, which conducts NEET-UG for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses, and the Union education ministry have been at the centre of media debates and protests by students and political parties over alleged large-scale malpractice -- ranging from question paper leaks to impersonation -- in the test held on May 5.
In the line of fire over the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and PhD entrance NET, the Centre removed Subodh Singh as the NTA director general and notified a high-level panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief R Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the agency.
While NEET-UG is under the scanner over several irregularities, the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) was cancelled after the education ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised.
Both matters are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Two other exams -- CSIR-UGC NET and NEET-PG -- were cancelled as a preemptive step. Fresh dates for both have been announced.
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New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI): Prolonged mobile phone use while sitting on the toilet is contributing to a surge in haemorrhoids and anal fistulas, doctors have said.
The habit, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, is putting increased strain on the rectal area, leading to painful conditions that often require medical intervention, they added.
Dr Jignesh Gandhi -- a senior robotic and laparoscopic surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital in Mumbai -- highlighted the concern, linking it to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive phone use in toilets.
He was speaking at the 74th foundation day of ESIC Hospital in Okhla on Saturday.
Dr Ravi Ranjan, a surgery specialist at the hospital, said it recorded more than 500 cases of haemorrhoids and fistulas in a year.
He pointed to poor lifestyle habits such as low water intake, excessive consumption of junk food and extended time on the toilet as key contributors.
Marengo Asia Hospital surgeon Dr Birbal said, "Chronic constipation from poor diet and prolonged time spent sitting on the toilet create a vicious cycle."
"This puts undue stress on the rectal area, leading to painful inflammation, which can result in haemorrhoids and, in severe cases, anal fistulas," he added.
The experts said the rising number of such cases was straining government hospitals.
They also highlighted the potential of minimally invasive procedures such as radiofrequency ablation of haemorrhoids under local anaesthesia (Rafaelo) to ease the burden.
"The Rafaelo procedure, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and widely used in the UK's National Health Service, offers quicker recovery, same-day discharge, and reduced waiting times compared to traditional surgical methods," said Ranjan.
However, despite being introduced in India about three to four years ago, awareness about radiofrequency treatments remains low among surgeons, he noted.
In high-volume institutions such as ESIC and AIIMS, where patient backlogs extend for months due to limited operation theatres, radiofrequency ablation can prove to be revolutionary, the doctors said.
Since the procedure can be performed in minor operation theatres or outpatient department settings under local anaesthesia, they suggested it could help treat 40-50 patients a day in both government and private hospitals.
Doctors are urging greater awareness and adoption of advanced treatments such as Rafaelo to improve patient care while alleviating pressure on India's healthcare system.
Gleneagles Hospital's Gandhi said, "With wider adoption of radiofrequency procedures, we can ensure faster and more effective relief for patients while easing the load on hospitals."