For postgrad medical courses, difficult area to fetch up to 30% additional marks

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 4

The state government has decided to award 30 per cent additional marks to doctors who have served in difficult areas for admission to postgraduate medical courses.

The ruling has come as a shock to candidates who have scored above par in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

“It seems the government wants to fill medical institutions with doctors who have just crossed the cut-off limit,” a delegation of aggrieved doctors told The Tribune.

They said they were not against reservation for doctors who were serving in difficult areas of the state, but it had to be done rationally. “Providing 30 per cent additional marks to their score in NEET is aimed at denying admission to meritorious doctors,” said a doctor.

The state government, on January 30, issued a notification on weightage for serving in difficult areas. “The candidates shall be entitled to weightage for serving in the difficult areas as defined under notification SRO 2O1 of 2006 dated 15.06.2006 to the extent of additional 10 per cent for each year of completed service in such areas subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of marks obtained in the written test,” reads the notification issued by Anal Kumar Gupta, commissioner secretary, ARI and Trainings Department.

Gupta, who retired on January 31, said the recommendations had come from the Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) — the highest body for the selection of candidates for admissions in professional courses in J&K.

The aggrieved doctors alleged that the notification had been issued to accommodate the kith and kin of top officials. “Their (officials) children do MBBS from outside India. First they get a job under the National Rural Health Mission and then 30 per cent marks for admission in postgraduate courses in J&K,” they alleged.

Ashraf Bukhari, BOPEE chairman, feigned ignorance about the notification. “Several departments are involved in deciding the weightage given to doctors serving in difficult areas,” Bukhari said.

However, Sajad Ahmad Khan, secretary, Social Welfare, said they implemented the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines which didn’t provide reservation, but incentives to difficult areas. “The extent of weightage has been decided by a committee constituted by the government,” he said.