Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA) has expressed concern over non-issuance of state sponsored post graduate training (PGT) seats for medical officers (MOs) of Nagaland in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Imphal to eligible and qualified candidates who have cleared the All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination (AIPGMEE).
In a press release, NMSA general secretary Visede Liegise pointed out that RIMS Imphal has been allotting seven sponsored PGT seats for Nagaland as NE quota every year in different speciality.
However, NMSA said this year some MOs who cleared the NPSC exam and AIPGMEE were not allowed for PGT despite availability of sponsored seats at RIMS Imphal “due to certain discrepancies in the criteria for candidature selection.”
Citing a government notice vide no. Cad2/2008(Pt), which provides certain relaxation of criteria for the same, the NMSA has strongly urged the government to ensure that those seats provided to “our people are not wasted.”
“Not utilizing this opportunity will result in huge loss to the state as PGT seats costs Rs.50 lakh to Rs.1.2 crore,” NMSA said.
Stating that the in present scenario, Nagaland was in need of specialists of every field to lend further expertise and quality of care to people both in rural and urban, the association said depriving aspiring candidates willing to take up further studies was only preventing them from achieving such a goal.
Therefore, NMSA has urged the government and all allied authorities involved to seriously consider the issue and bring about a speedy change in its management. NMSA expressed hope that such a “regrettable situation” would not occur in the future.
Meanwhile, NMSA has suggested the possibility of providing access to those sponsored PGT seats for contract doctors along with any necessary and additional criteria for them after completion of their PGT course, in the event that there were no candidates available among regular state MOs.
It said the proposal was based solely on the intention that the seats allotted to Nagaland were never left unclaimed and hence lose to other states.
Further, NMSA has appealed to all the different levels of governmental and non-governmental settings to join hands on this issue for the benefit of the Nagas in general and the medical fraternity in particular.