2021 Round-up: Top 5 Medical news that made headlines

While the Government of India is all geared up to improve the medical infrastructure of the country, here are the five significant developments of the year 2021 that will affect medical education in long run.

At a time when medical education and technology have got a major push due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic, the Government of India and state governments have joined forces under the Central scheme for having at least one medical college at each district level in the country. Among all the latest developments that happened in the year 2021, let's glance through the major developments that are going to impact medical education in the days to come:

MCC to conduct four rounds of NEET Counselling 2021

The Supreme Court of India has allowed the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to conduct four rounds of National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) Counselling 2021 for All India Quota (AIQ) seats. Earlier MCC used to conduct only two rounds. Due to this latest development, after the second round of counselling, vacant seats will not go back to the state quota.

Resident doctors strike due to delay in NEET PG Counselling 2021

This year witnessed an unprecedented delay in the NEET PG Counselling 2021 due to multiple reasons, the latest being a pending case in the Supreme Court. This invoked a nationwide protest of resident doctors demanding to expedite the counselling process for the immediate admission of PG students. The resident doctors all across the country are overburdened and need more doctors to support them in providing health care facilities.

OBC reservation for medical admission

On July 29, the Central government had approved 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in the All India Quota (AIQ) Scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical/dental courses (MBBS / MD / MS / Diploma / BDS / MDS) from the current academic year 2021-22 onwards.

Medical seats increased

Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for 'Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals', the government is setting up new medical colleges in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said at multiple events that the Central government is working towards setting at least one medical college in each district of India.

NIPER Bill 2021 passed in Lok Sabha

The NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research) (Amendment) Bill, 2021, has been passed in the Lok Sabha. The Bill says that all institutes established after the commencement of the NIPER (Amendment) Act, 2021 will be an institution of national importance. The Bill is expected to strengthen Pharmaceutical Education and Research in India.

Read more:

• MCC to conduct 4 rounds of NEET Counselling 2021 for AIQ seats

• Centre approves 27% OBC reservation in MBBS/ BDS from current academic year 2021-22

• Over 70% increase in medical UG and PG seats since 2014: Health Minister

• NIPER (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed in Lok Sabha

• NEET PG Counselling 2021 protest intensifies; Doctors march to Supreme Court