AIIMS doctors agree to attend institute's 47th convocation virtually

The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have agreed to attend the 47th convocation being held by the institute on Monday after the director, Dr Randeep Guleria, assured them of conducting a physical convocation in the future as well.

"Dr Guleria promised that the batches called for the virtual convocation will also be invited to the physical convocation whenever it is organised. We agreed to his assurance and would now attend the convocation without any agitation," said Dr Adarsh Pratap Singh, president, AIIMS' RDA.

The RDA had earlier opposed the administration's decision of conducting the 47th convocation virtually and had written to the institute's director demanding that the January 11 event be held physically in small batches with all Covid-19 precautions, outside the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Stadium.

It had warned that if the demand was not met, the RDA members would be forced to boycott the convocation and hold a protest on the day of the event.

The RDA had demanded the convocation should be organised to be participated physically as it was pending for more than two years and holds a profound importance in a student's life.

"The resident doctors have been waiting for this convocation to happen for a very long time now. AIIMS has pass-out batches every six months, but they have to wait over a year for convocation. Residents doctors worked day and night throughout their residency and amidst Covid-19 pandemic, but when the time of convocation came we were being asked to attend it virtually which was very disappointing and disheartening," Singh had stated.

The 47th convocation would be attended by the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who is also president of the central government-run institute.

Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for South-East Asia, World Health Organisation (WHO), is invited as the chief guest to the event. Meanwhile, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State (MoS) for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare MoH&FW) would join there as the guest of honour.

--IANS

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