Centre should start NEET-PG counselling: Kejriwal writes to PM

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting to listen to the doctors' demands and start NEET-PG counselling.

Several resident doctors across the country continue their protest against the delay in NEET-PG counselling and warned to withdraw "all healthcare services" from Wednesday.

In the letter to PM, Kejriwal wrote, "Amid rising concerns of the Omicron variant, the doctors of the central government hospitals are protesting on roads. It is very disheartening to see that they were being mistreated by the police while protesting."

Kejriwal stressed that due to the protest, there is a lack of doctors in the hospitals. As the cases are rising, they should be in hospitals not on the streets.

Kejriwal said, "The delay in the counselling is affecting the future of the students. Many doctors lost their lives on the line of duty and it's our duty to listen to their demands."

Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) calls for complete withdrawal from all healthcare services across the country from 8 am on December 29 "in protest against brute force by Delhi Police against doctors."

On December 24, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the NEET-PG counselling crisis and augment manpower to face a possible third wave of COVID-19 infections.

The NEET PG exam was scheduled to be held in January 2021 but postponed in view of the first and second wave of COVID-19 and held on September 12, 2021, said the letter.

However, due to the legal impediments of the Supreme Court now the Counselling is withheld resulting in a shortage of 45,000 doctors on the frontline, added the letter.