Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will felicitate the top 25 rank holders in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2022 exam of both medicine and dental courses. Officials said that this is the first time that a Union Health Minister will felicitate top rank holders of the entrance exam.

The Minister will also host a dinner with the top rank holders, as stated in a report by PTI. Senior Health Ministry officials will also be present on the occasion, the officials said. This event comes a day ahead of the National Doctor’s Day (on July 1) which will be observed across all medical and dental colleges in the country, including all the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). 

Additionally, at the central level, eminent doctors will be felicitated at an event to be held on Friday, July 1, at Lady Hardinge Medical College. While reacting to the Health Minister’s felicitation ceremony, a doctor said, “The initiative will motivate young and budding postgraduate specialists for serving the country."

The NEET-PG exam was conducted on May 21 despite demands from students seeking postponement of the exam. The NEET-PG results were earlier declared on June 1, 2022 by the National Board of Examinations. While Dr Shagun Batra has secured the first position, Dr Joseph, Dr Harshita and Dr Swaroop Hegde held the second, third and fourth positions, respectively.