Extra marks to docs for rural service

The state government on Thursday passed a resolution stating that doctors, who are employed by the public health department and have served in rural areas, will be eligible for “extra marks” in the Post Graduate Common Entrance Test.

Doctors working in rural areas will now have an added advantage if they hope to pursue post-graduate medical degrees.

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The state government on Thursday passed a resolution stating that doctors, who are employed by the public health department and have served in rural areas, will be eligible for “extra marks” in the Post Graduate Common Entrance Test.

Ten per cent extra marks – based on the candidate’s CET score – will be added to their total if they have worked for a year in rural Maharashtra, 20 per cent for two years and a maximum of 30 per cent for three years, as per the resolution.

In November last year, the union health ministry had decided to offer this incentive to lure doctors to work in villages.

“Doctors who work in rural areas can’t compete with other candidates who have just completed MBBS. This will help them specialise and better their career,” said Milind Mhaiskar, state medical education secretary.

As per the GR, even the doctors who had appeared for the CET earlier this year will be eligible for the extra marks. The medical education department will forward the list of candidates and their results to the public health department.