Delay in MD, MS Counselling, AIIMS doctors cry foul

New Delhi: The AIIMS in the national capital is yet to begin counselling for a fresh batch of resident doctors even as the contract of several doctors in those positions is scheduled to expire tomorrow.

The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS has alleged that as the tenure of several junior residents in various departments is ending tomorrow, the institute is staring at an acute shortage in that category which may in turn affect patient services.

"For the first time in the history of AIIMS, the examination section is not able to conduct the counseling for MD/MS 2017 well in time which will result in delay in the joining of junior residents to respective departments from January 1," AIIMS RDA president Harjit Singh Bhatti said.

The institute will face an acute shortage of resident doctors as the current ones who have graduated will finish their tenure tomorrow, former AIIMS RDA president Vijay Gurjar said.

While supporting the move for online counselling of resident doctors, the RDA members, however, said the administration is still not ready and is struggling with their software update.

"This is for the first time that the institute has initiated recruitment through online counselling which was supposed to hasten the process but inefficient implementation is leading to unnecessary delay.

"Residents are just waiting eagerly to join their departments. This unnecessary delay will create disturbance as they will not be able to appear in exams and interviews whose last dates are usually between December 31 or June 30 according to the set pattern," said Bhatti.

Usually, counselling was held in the first week of December. However, till now there has been no notification or communication from the administration.

A senior AIIMS official, however, said the issue has been resolved and that the process will begin in a few days and by January 31 the counselling will be completed.