State Government Reduces Senior Resident Positions Amid Criticism
Jaipur: In a significant blow to SMS Medical College, the Rajasthan Medical Education Department has reduced senior resident (SR) seats by 56%, cutting the total from 318 to just 139. This move has sparked outrage among medical professionals, as completing Senior Residency is mandatory for doctors aspiring to join medical colleges as faculty members.
Seat Allocation Across Medical Colleges
The reduction was revealed when the State Medical Education Department released counseling details for Senior Residency following the Postgraduate Medical Exam results. While SMS Medical College saw a drastic cut, other institutions received the following allocations:
- Sardar Patel Medical College (SPMC), Bikaner – 129 seats
- Dr. S.N. Medical College, Jodhpur – 151 seats
- Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JLNMC), Ajmer – 125 seats
- Government Medical College (GMC), Kota – 116 seats
- Rabindranath Tagore (RNT) Medical College, Udaipur – 122 seats
The online application and choice-filling process began on March 20 and will continue until March 25, with final seat allocations scheduled for March 31.
Medical Fraternity Protests Decision
Resident doctors have strongly opposed the seat reduction, calling it unjust and unlawful. The Jaipur Resident Doctors’ Association recently met with DME officials to voice their concerns and demand an increase in SR positions.
Interestingly, the Rajasthan Government had previously increased 1,727 Senior Resident seats following demands from senior residents. Previously, around 3,500 SR positions were available across medical departments in the state, and an additional 1,727 seats were introduced after a video conference with medical college department heads.
NMC’s Proposed Exemption for Foreign PGs
While Senior Residency is currently mandatory for those aspiring to become Assistant Professors in medical colleges, the National Medical Commission (NMC) recently proposed an exemption for doctors who completed their postgraduate medical education in five English-speaking countries—USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—as per the Draft Teachers Eligibility Qualifications (TEQ) 2024 Regulations.
With the controversy surrounding SR seat distribution, medical professionals are now waiting for a response from authorities regarding potential revisions to the allocation.
