Cuttack, July 25: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday put on hold the state government's attempt to reduce the service period of MBBS doctors for consideration as in-service candidates for medical PG admissions.
In May, the government had come out with a notification allowing all MBBS doctors who have completed three years of service in rural, tribal and difficult terrains eligible for in-service candidates for PG admissions.
Previously, only those doctors having put in five years of service in these areas were considered as in-service candidates.
Challenging the government notification in the high court, several doctors having put up five years of service in rural areas contested that the change in guidelines would adversely affect them.
Hearing all parties, a division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice C Nagappan and Justice Indrajit
Mohanti had reserved its verdict last week.
Pronouncing the judgement today, the bench asked the government not to give effect to any change to the guidelines for the ongoing admission this year.
The bench said that if the government so desires it can reduce the period of serving in rural areas to three years for in-service candidates from next year.
Out of 260 seats for PG courses in all the government medical colleges, 87 seats are reserved for in-service candidates while the remaining seats are to be filled up by direct candidates.
