Five MBBS seats reserved for Covid warriors’ children: Harsh Vardhan

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, said the seats may be allocated for selection and nomination of candidates from among wards of “Covid warriors”, who lost their life due to Covid or died accidentally on account of Covid-related duty. “This will honour the solemn sacrifice of all Covid warriors who served with selfless dedication,” he stated, adding that the state or UT government will certify eligibility for this category.

Health Ministry approves new category for selection & nomination of candidates from ‘Wards of COVID Warriors’ under Central Pool MBBS/BDS seats for 2020-21

“It will honour the solemn sacrifice of all COVID warriors who served selflessly,” says Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan pic.twitter.com/iooVPDDpYC

— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2020

In a statement, the ministry said, “The selection of candidates will be made by the Medical Council Committee (MCC) through online application on the basis of rank obtained in the NEET-2020 conducted by National Testing Agency.”

“Private hospital staff and retired/volunteer/ local urban bodies/ contracted/ daily wage/ ad-hoc/ outsourced staff requisitioned by states/central hospitals/ autonomous hospitals of central/ states/UTs, AIIMS and Institutes of National Importance (INIs)/ hospitals of central ministries drafted for COVID-19-related responsibilities are all included,” Vardhan said.

Read | Students under EWS category beat odds to weave success stories at NEET, JEE

Later, addressing the virtual inauguration of Modular OT-cum-ICU Complex at Rohtak’s Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences, the minister said a “vaccine to combat Covid will be made by 2021, for which there is a need to start preparing now”.

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On other health initiatives, he said, “1.5 lakh health and wellness centres are being constructed in the country, which will be completed by December 31, 2022. The government wants to eradicate TB from the country by 2025, for which all state governments will have to contribute significantly.”