Northeast Docs to Get More Marks For Serving in Tough Terrains

Guwahati, Jun 20 : In a unique initiative, government has decided that fresh medical graduates from 11 northeastern and northern states would get additional marks in the All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination if they serve in rural areas of their states.

The states include Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

"I have divided the country into three parts when it comes to health. I belong to Jammu and Kashmir, which is akin to the Northeast. We have the same militancy, insurgency, problems of aloofness, inaccessibility, hills and difficult terrain", Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad here.

"Having realized that, the 11 states have been clubbed and given them the special concession. Doctors just passed out and interested in post graduation can get 10 per cent extra marks in the national PG test if they work for one year in the most inaccessible and difficult area of their state", he said while addressing a seminar on health organized by Assam chapter of NSUI.

Those working for two years would get additional 20 per cent marks and 30 per cent for those serving three years.

The working doctors serving consecutively for three years in difficult areas and seeking to apply for diploma courses would have a quota of 50 per cent seats reserved for them, Azad said.

"I have asked the eleven state governments to identify the difficult and inaccessible areas and appoint doctors with additional financial assistance from the Centre," he said.