Medicos reject amendments

PATIALAň:ňMedical professionals have “outrightly” rejected the amendments recently made in the Punjab Medical Education Rules notified by the state government on January 8.

In their meeting on Wednesday, Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association opined that the amendments have been made to “discourage” the entry and promotions of promotion quota candidates with “indirect” favours to direct quota candidates.

Dr Darshanjit Singh Walia, secretary of the association, said the Punjab government has failed to put proposed amendments in public domain and consult any stakeholder before notifying the amendments. “The clause related to filling 75% seats by direct quota candidates in the absence of the non-availability of promotion quota candidate is against the interest of the promotion quota candidates,” he said.

Dr DS Bhullar, president of the association, said the conditions and promotion avenues for promotion quota candidates have been tightened whereas the same were relaxed in the favour of direct quota entry, thus “showing strong favours for direct quota candidates with doubtful nepotism as witnessed in the past”.

‘Promotion quota candidates will be hit’

The new amendments are “direct quota candidates” oriented with “malicious” intent to stop the entry and promotions of promotion quota candidates,” he said.

“We are going to challenge new amendments legally as the promotion quota candidates are likely to become ineligible for promotions in accordance with new amendments in the medical education rules,” the association claimed.