Seeking to augment human resources deployed in fighting the coronavirus panmdemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday approved a number of measures, including postponing the NEET-PG for at least four months to make a large number of qualified doctors available for pandemic duty and pressing into service medical interns. The PMO said in a statement on Monday that the services of final year MBBS students can also be utilized for providing services like teleconsultation and monitoring of mild Covid cases after due orientation under the faculty’s supervision.
As per the statement, medical interns will work under the supervision of their faculty. This will reduce the workload on the existing doctors engaged in Covid duty and boost the efforts of triaging, it said. It added that B.Sc. or GNM qualified nurses may be utilised in full-time Covid nursing duties under the supervision of senior doctors and nurses.
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"A decision was taken to postpone NEET-PG for at least 4 months and the exam will not be held before 31st August 2021. Students will also be given at least one month of time after the announcement of the exam before it is conducted. This will make a large number of qualified doctors available for Covid duties,” the release said.
All such professionals who sign up for minimum 100 days of duty and complete it successfully will also be given the Prime Minister’s Distinguished Covid National Service Samman from the government of India. They will also be covered under the government’s insurance scheme for health workers engaged in fighting Covid-19.
