Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting for his intervention to direct the Medical Council of India (MCI) to postpone the MD/MS examinations till December this year as the final-year resident doctors are playing a "crucial role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic".
As per the letter dated June 18, the Board of Governors of MCI has issued an advisory to all universities to complete these examinations by June 30. In view of the order, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) proposed to the state government to conduct these examinations from July 15.
"The final-year resident doctors who are required to take these examinations are presently working on the frontlines in all Government of Maharashtra and Municipal Medical Colleges assisting the clinical management of COVID-19 patients. In the event these exams are held as per schedule, there would be a serious shortage of trained doctors during this crucial period," the letter read.
"I request your intervention to direct the MCI to postpone the MD/MS examinations until December 2020. So, I would also request the postponement of the entrance examination of super speciality to a date subsequent to December 2020 after the conclusion of final year MD/MS exams," it added.
Maharashtra, the worst-hit state by the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday reported 3,890 new cases, taking the total count to 1,42,900.
The state health department said in a bulletin that 208 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 6,739.
A total of 4,161 patients were discharged on Wednesday and the number of discharged patients is presently at 73,792. The recovery rate in the state is 51.64 per cent.
( With inputs from ANI )