HC scraps remote area work marks

MD/MS entrance exam Govt told to come up with a fresh list of remote areas.

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday cancelled the government notification for the admission in the MD (Masters in Medicine) and MS (Masters in Surgery) — the two post graduate courses of medical science — as per which incentives in terms of marks were to be given to the candidates working in remote areas.

Terming the clause as illegal, Justice Subharkamal Mukherjee and Justice Harish Tandon said the candidates will have to be admitted on merit.

On November 23, 2011, the state government had issued a notification stating that the doctors of the state health services working in "remote and difficult areas" for one year would get extra 10 per cent marks in the MD/MS entrance examination in 2012. For those serving in the "remote and difficult" areas for a period of three years, extra 30 per cent marks would be allotted. The notification was challenged by several doctors in the High Court terming it unfair.

The Division Bench observed that the state government determined some districts and areas as remote and difficult in the notification, which was not correct. However, it added that the state has the right to revise the notification and directed the government to prepare a fresh list of remote and difficult areas by November.

The judgment was welcomed by the government officials, who said that the government could now go ahead with the admission and that the 280 seats will not remain vacant in the current session.

Senior officials of the health department, however, added that the incentive package for the service doctors who are giving MD/MS examination will be decided next year after preparing the fresh list of the remote and difficult area.

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