AIIMS reschedules counselling dates for MBBS

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Sunday rescheduled the counselling dates for MBBS programme from August 20 and 21 to August 26 and 27, hospital authorities said on Sunday, a day after a massive fire broke out on its premises.

Online registrations for the counselling started on Sunday and can be done till 5 pm on August 21, a notice issued by AIIMS read.

"Considering the large number of candidates and guardians participating in the open round of counselling for MBBS 2019 under the prevailing circumstances, it has been decided by the competent authority that for adequate arrangement and ensuring safety, the open round of counselling has been rescheduled from Aug 20 and Aug 21 to August 26 and 27," according to the notice.

The fire started around 5 pm on Saturday from the Microbiology department and thick plumes of smoke billowed from the building, triggering panic and affecting the emergency services. According to officials, patients were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The fire engulfed several offices in the department of surgery, urology, dermatology, microbiology and ortho and lot of research data, samples and manuscripts were destroyed, a source said.