TN Doctors’ Assn oppose NMC's move to centralise admissions

CHENNAI: The Doctors’ Associations in Tamil Nadu are opposing the National Medical Commission's (NMC) move to conduct centralised counselling for medical college admissions across the country.

The Doctors' Association for Social Equality says that the National Medical Commission (NMC) should immediately reconsider its decision regarding admission to State quota seats.

In this regard, Dr G R Ravindranath, the General Secretary of the Association of Doctors for Social Equality, said that centralised counselling is against the interests of State rights and that admission of medical students by State governments should be respected. "Already, the Union government has imposed NEET and deprived State of its right to admission by making the entrance examination mandatory. In 2017, 100 seats for DM and MCH courses for higher medical education were handed over to the State governments for admission to students," he said.

He said that the reservation for government school students, who are from backward communities cannot be benefitted anymore.

It is to be noted that the notification does not mention anything regarding the reservation of seats for any category. Thus, the Doctor Associations opine that private and minority medical colleges in each State that are run by the government will be affected.

"It is important that the Union and State government conduct a joint counselling as earlier, according to the provisions of the National Medical Commission Act (NMC Act - 2019) Chapter IV, 14 (3)," said Dr. Ravindranath.

The government doctors also requested to construct a new hostel premise for postgraduate students of Madras Medical College (MMC) near the Broadway bus stand. The doctors have been requesting the same for a very long time and they also request that the allotted land should not be used by any other department.