DNB medical courses suspended, no PG seats available in Himachal Pradesh
The National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has suspended the Diplomate of National Board (DNB) courses in the state. As a result, no DNB seats will be allocated in the state for the 2024-25 academic session.
The DNB is a three-year postgraduate course in medical science after the completion of MBBS and is considered equivalent to postgraduate courses of Doctor in Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery (MS). There are 30 seats for the DNB post graduate course in the state’s medical colleges. Besides, there’s a two-year DNB Diploma course as well and there are 15 seats for it.
“The seats have been suspended temporarily by the NBEMS due to a pending case in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The NBEMS has instructed us to stop the allocation of seats until the court gives its verdict. Once the case is decided, the suspension is likely to be revoked,” said Dr Praveen Sharma, Controller of Examination at Atal Medical and Research University, Himachal Pradesh.
The NBEMS is said to have suspended the DNB courses in the state after some students went to the court, challenging its decision to transfer the students pursuing DNB course from Hamirpur medical college in the previous academic session. “As the case is pending in the High Court, the NBEMS has suspended the courses for the time being in the state,” said Dr Sharma.
According to sources, the NBEMS had issued the orders to transfer the students pursuing DNB courses to other colleges outside the state when some students complained that the college was not giving them the stipend as per the NBEMS recommendation.
“As per our postgraduate policy, students pursuing post graduate courses are required to fill up the bond to serve in the state for a certain period. If the students fill up the bond, they get the stipend. In case the students do not fill up the bond, they do not get stipend,” the sources said. “The students pursuing DNB course in Hamirpur medical college did not fill up the bond, so they were not given the stipend. But they still complained to the NBEMS that they were not getting the stipend, which eventually led to the court case and suspension of DNB courses,” said the sources.
A senior healthcare professional, however, feared that the NBEMS may not resume the DNB courses as it is a matter of conflict of policies. “As per the NBEMS policy, paying stipend to students pursuing DNB courses is compulsory. In the state’s PG policy, paying stipend is not compulsory if the student does not sign a bond,” he said.
