Resident Doctors pursuing PG Courses move to Supreme Court seeking waiver of final examination [READ PETITION]

A group of 29 doctors have moved to the apex court seeking exceptions to waiver the final examination of post-graduate Medical Residents and a constitution of a Join Expert Committee for examining and recommending on their prayers.

The petitioners, in their plea, elucidate the importance of qualified doctors, who work diligently during the pandemic to manage the healthcare infrastructure.

The petitioners in their plea highlight that they seek to be promoted as Senior residents and post-Doctoral students as soon as their term gets completed, along with the pay scale allowances.

The plea challenges the guidelines issued by National Medical Commission on 22nd April and 27th April 2021. In one notice, it has advised the medical colleges to continue taking the services of the final year medical students, and to keep fighting against the pandemic, and on the other hand it has guided the universities to decide the duration and procedures of Postgraduate Practical Final Examination.

The petitioners argue that conducting exams in the current pandemic situation is a violation of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution, specifically when they have been not provided with any preparation time due to their COVID duty.

“In the face of a pandemic like COVID-19, it is upon the respondents, as their fundamental duty, to frame sustainable and effective policies, which looks after the interests of the Post Graduates Resident Doctors, who have given their everything in fight against this pandemic,” the plea submits. 

The petitioners are resident doctors who are currently pursuing PG courses and have successfully finished their residency of three years. They argue that despite there being no provision for extension of residency, they are made to extend it without any legal basis.

Prime Minister, recently extended the residential services, as to fight the pandemic it requires more man power. The petitioners cite this, and argue that respondents fail to realize that PG and super specialty are for a fixed tenure and extension is usually seen as a punishment for terrible performance.

The plea finally submits that on top of extending the tenure, they have also asked them to appear in the final year examination, which requires tedious preparation.

The petitioners state this as “salt to the wound.”