To bring more doctors to villages, the Union Health Ministry has decided to give “extra” incentives to the doctors working in rural areas to pursue specialised courses.

According to the Health Ministry, those who have served more than three years in rural areas will be eligible for reservation in the PG diploma course. “There will be 50 per cent reservation for doctors working in rural areas in PG diploma courses. As of now, there is no reservation in either PG diploma or PG degree course,” said a senior official in the ministry.

Even for the PG degree course, extra weightage will be given to those working in rural areas. For example, those who have put in a year of service in rural areas will be eligible for 10 per cent “extra” marks to seek admission in a PG degree course; another year in rural area and 20 per cent marks will be added.

“This way, a maximum of 30 per cent marks will be added, and they can make an entry to a PG degree course. The merit list will jump and more people will be get a chance to pursue specialised courses,” Dr Ketan Desai, president, Medical Council of India (MCI), told The Indian Express. The Ministry and MCI have been working on finding ways to reduce shortage of doctors.

Desai said since those eligible from rural areas hardly get a chance to study further, this move would facilitate them to come forward. “There are a total of 32,000 MBBS seats in the country. Out of these, 50 per cent seats are for the reserved category candidates, the remaining is all-India quota. The medical profession has become an urban profession as we have seen that those from rural areas hardly get any chance and find a place,” he said.

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