New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS): The resident doctors of Delhi's top Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital have announced to boycott the emergency services in the hospital from Monday to intensify the protest against the repeated delay in the NEET PG 2021.

The resident doctors' association in the top five hospitals -- RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, LNJP Hospital and GTB hospital -- have been protesting against the delay in the NEET PG 2021 and have boycotted the OPD services from November 27. The OPD services in these hospitals have largely been affected. As the withdrawal of OPD services didn't bring any concrete response from the authorities, the RDAs of the RML hospital started boycotting all the routine services like Special Clinics, IPDs, Elective OTS from December 3.

"Resident doctors of the RML are forced to boycott emergency services too from 6th December along with OPD/IPD Services because no assurance is being given to the protesting Doctors by Health ministry in delay in NEET PG Counselling 2021", said Dr Manish Jangra, Spokesperson RML RDA. The agitating doctors complained that they're short staffed because there aren't any new doctors joining due to delay in counselling.

The NEET postgraduate entrance exam for 2021 was delayed twice, from January to April, and then to September, when it was eventually held. But now again, admissions have been delayed due to the dispute over revising the income criteria for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota from the current upper limit of Rs 8 lakh a year. The case is before the Supreme Court, which held hearings earlier this year. The next date is only in January 2022.