Telangana in-service government doctors struggle for PG seats in NEET counselling

Doctors born and brought-up in Telangana, who have been employed on adhoc and even permanent basis as Medical Officers in remotest of PHCs, are not getting preference in the PG-NEET counselling process, in-service doctors said

Hyderabad: In-service government doctors who have been discharging their duties as Medical Officers in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at far-off tribal areas of Telangana State have been left high and dry by the State government, as they struggle to get PG medical seats in Telangana during the ongoing PG-NEET counselling.

With the Health Varsity on Wednesday issuing notification for a fresh round NEET-PG 2024 counselling, following revision of new cut-off marks, in-service doctors in Telangana, who have already qualified in NEET-PG with good percentile but are not getting PG medical seat due to no reservation/preference, have urged the State government to consider their plight.

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“I have been working as a government doctor in district PHCs for the past 12-years. I am born in Telangana and did all my schooling here only. The State government is not giving any priority to in-service government doctors like us, who are already working in government sector for the past several years. Who will come to government service to work, is we are treated like this?” asks PHC medical officer, Dr Rajeshwar, who has a meritorious NEET score of 61 percentile.

Doctors born and brought-up in Telangana, who have been employed on adhoc and even permanent basis as Medical Officers in remotest of PHCs, are not getting preference in the PG-NEET counselling process, in-service doctors said.

“A few months ago, the State Government brought a clause that said that candidates will be eligible for PG medical seats, only if they complete MBBS in Telangana State. What about doctors like us, who are born and brought-up in Telangana doctors but did MBBS elsewhere? We have been working in Government sector at remotest locations in Telangana, but still are not getting any preference,” in-service doctors said.