Plea filed in SC for postponing PG entrance test by AIIMS

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court for postponing post-graduate entrance test being conducted by AIIMS on June 16 in "utter disregard" to assurances by the Prime Minister's Office.

A group of 26 doctors, led by Poulami Mondal , contended that holding of the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) 2021 would be in contravention of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, since NEET PG has already been deferred for four months. Other board examinations have also been cancelled due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.

The notice, issued by AIIMS on May 27, would build pressure on graduate doctors from across the country.

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"This is not in public interest in view of the present condition of the country and non-availability of doctors, beds in the hospitals coupled with the fact that there is a dearth of Covid-19 vaccination," their plea stated.

It also pointed out after assurance from the PMO, many doctors have taken a job or duty in a state and have become frontline workers with no spare time to prepare for the test. There was also no one month prior notice for holding the examination, it said.

More than 80,000 graduate doctors are expected to take up INI CET for admission to 815 seats in post-graduate courses in 10 colleges, including AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER, NIMHANS across the country.