A doctor from Kerala points out that the healthcare system might collapse if the doctors have to travel far amid the landslides.
Published Aug 02, 2024 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 02, 2024 | 7:00 AM
(Representational image/iStock)
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) seems to have decided to also test NEET-PG candidates’ patience and endurance levels this time, besides their ability to fund themselves.
As if postponing the exam multiple times was not enough, the NBEMS has allotted candidates exam centres far away from their homes, including outside their state of domicile.
Compounding the matter was that the exam-conducting agency had not informed candidates of the exact locations of exam centres, but only the city, where it would be conducted on 11 August in two shifts.
This has caused inconvenience to lakhs of aspirants. Some of them, especially pregnant medicos, have been forced to drop out at the last minute, after spending months and years in preparation.
Incidentally, the fresh controversy came even as the CBI filed a charge sheet in the NEET-UG row.
“I am based out of Hyderabad and selected preferences in this order: 1. Hyderabad, 2. Mahaboobnagar, 3. Suryapet, and 4. Karimnagar, Dr Lahari Ediga, a NEET-PG aspirant told South First.
“However, I have been allotted Peddapalli, which was not my preferred centre and is quite far from Hyderabad,” Dr Ediga added.
Another aspirant, who identified only by his first name Dr Aswin, wanted to take the test at a centre in his home state, Kerala. “I reside and practice in Kerala, but I have been allotted a centre in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh,” he told South First over the phone.
Dr Madhuri E, another aspirant from Hyderabad, sounded equally frustrated and irritated. “I did not expect this,” she said after getting a centre allotted in Warangal.
“While it was one of my options, Hyderabad, was my first choice,” she said.
Hundreds of aspirants took to social media to vent their anger and disappointment.
Many candidates from Kerala complained that the majority of them have been allotted centres in Andhra Pradesh.
“Most of us applied for the centres closer home. We had four options. We could choose three centres in Kerala, but the fourth option was automatically set to Andhra Pradesh,” Dr Ashik Basheer, State President of the General Practitioners Association (GPA) told South First.
“There were around 15 or 20 centres available in Andhra Pradesh. It was a default setting, which is the main issue,” he explained.
He said most students from Kerala opted for Andhra Pradesh as their fourth option since they had no other choice. They were allocated centres in rural Andhra Pradesh.
“Around 10,000 candidates are appearing for NEET-PG from Kerala, and more than 5,000 have been allotted centres in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra,” Dr Basheer said.
“It wasn’t even possible to select a centre in Kerala as the fourth option. When the website opened, we applied immediately, expecting a first-come, first-served basis. However, this time, the allocations were made randomly. We chose the first three centres in Kerala, but the last option was set by default to Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
He also mentioned that most students chose Visakhapatnam since it has an airport.
“But we were allocated centres in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh as well. Despite selecting the first three centres in Kerala, around 70 percent of candidates from Kerala were allocated centres 1,000-1,500 kilometres away,” he added.
“We should have been given a centre closer to our address for communication or hometown, as per the protocol. Instead, the allocations were done randomly, and most candidates — about 70 percent from Kerala — have been allotted centres in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. This is a pan-India issue,” Dr Basheer said, adding he had spoken to candidates from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka who were also facing similar issues.
The examination was originally scheduled to be conducted on 23 June. The Union Health Ministry, however, postponed it on the eve of the exam as a “precautionary measure” following allegations questioning the integrity of certain competitive exams.
“This was the fourth time they had postponed the exam. It was initially planned for 3 March, then 7 July, which was postponed to 23 June just 10 hours before the exam,” Dr Basheer said.
He said several aspirants had by then left home and travelled to centres in Andhra Pradesh and other faraway places.
“Many candidates had booked tickets and accommodation, resulting in a huge financial loss,” Dr Basheer said.
Talking about the skyrocketing travel costs, he said, “Previously, an air ticket cost ₹6,000. Now, it’s around ₹18,000. Many doctors are couples. So travelling to Andhra Pradesh for the exam and accommodation would cost them ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 each, which is a huge financial burden,” he said.
He also pointed out that he has received calls from pregnant doctors, including one who was seven months pregnant and “another doctor who has been allocated a centre 1,300 kilometres away in Visakhapatnam. She had a baby just three days ago,” he said.
Dr Basheer claimed the candidates were informed only about the city where the exam would be conducted. The details of the centre will be disclosed on 8 August, just two days ahead of the exam. How can we book accommodation without knowing the exact location?” he asked.
He also pointed to a major issue that may arise in Kerala’s healthcare system.
“Our healthcare system will collapse if 99 percent of MBBS and intern doctors from Kerala have to go to far-off cities to take the test. Being away for four or five days (if they chose the non-flight mode of transport) will have a huge impact on our healthcare system, especially when all available hands are required due to the Wayanad landslides,” he said.
An X user could not find logic in the allocation of NEET-PG centers. “My sister from Kerala, who is pregnant, got a center in Andhra Pradesh, while my brother, who chose his options at the last minute, got a center in the same district,” the user who goes by the handle @jade07770 said.
“She has decided not to write the exam. She can’t travel that far, especially with the floods and all,” he shared.
Neet pg centres are allocated unethically
My sister from Kerala who is pregnant got centre at Andhrapradesh while my brother who placed options at last minutes got in same district
She have decided not to write the exam,can’t travel this long especially with flood and all #neetpg— Jade Jacob (@jade07770) July 31, 2024
Another user @docrohan said the exam center allocation process has become a mess.
“Students are being assigned exam centers thousands of kilometers away. With heavy rains across states, arranging last-minute transportation is nearly impossible. NBE is finding new ways to stress medical students each year!” he said.
#NEETPG centre allocation process is a mess! Students are being assigned exam centres thousands of km away. With heavy rains across states, arranging last-minute transportation is nearly impossible. NBE is finding new ways to stress medical students each year! #MedTwitter
— Rohan Khandelwal (@docrohan) August 1, 2024
Dr Basheer demanded the authorities reassign the centres. “It’s unreasonable to assign the majority of students from a state to a faraway state like Andhra Pradesh,” he pointed out.
“We demand that they reassign the centers to our nearby hometowns or at least within our home state. Previously, many centers were available within the state, and only a few were in other states,” he explained.
“Now, about 70 percent of candidates are assigned centers in other states. They’ve mixed up the entire exam, sending candidates from Maharashtra to Haryana, Haryana to Rajasthan, and Kerala to Andhra Pradesh. It’s an utter blunder,” he added.
(Edited by Neena)
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