Central Government Directive on Postgraduate Resident Doctors

New Delhi: Taking note of the "extraordinary situation" due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the Central Government has recently directed all the medical colleges and hospitals operative under the central government to extend the services of the Postgraduate resident doctors until the fresh batch of students join the institutes. This decision has been taken to ensure that there would not be any shortage of Residents to deal with the pandemic.

The letter issued by the Directorate General of Health Services has been directed to the authorities of:

• Safdarjung Hospital (SJH)
• Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RMLH)
• Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC)
• Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP) Ranchi
• All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AIIPMR)
• All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health (AIIPH) Kolkata
• North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) Shillong
• Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Imphal

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The letter by Assistant Director General (ME) & Nodal Officer of Central Residency Scheme stated, "I am directed to refer to the advisory of MCI (No. MCI-23(1)/2020/Med./201868 dated 7th April, 2020) regarding the extension of service of Final year PG students scheduled to appear in the Final University Examination by two months or till the first year PG's of 2020 batch join the institute (whichever is earlier) in view of the extraordinary situation due to outbreak of Covid-19 Pandemic leading to postponement of the NEET PG Examination 2021."

"In this regard, it is mentioned that in view of the MCI's advisory, it has been decided by the competent authority that the services of these Post Graduate students as residents whose tenure is to be completed on 30th April 2021 may be continued to be utilized with full pay/ stipend, until fresh batches of Postgraduate students have joined physically, and to ensure that there is no shortage of Residents in handling the Covid-19 situation," added the letter dated April 27, 2021.

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