Retirement age up for medical teaching faculty

Hyderabad: Amidst junior doctors' strike, the Telangana government brought in an ordinance increasing the retirement age of teaching staff in the government medical colleges from existing 58 years to 65 years.

Governor ESL Narasimhan on Saturday promulgated ordinance.

Simultaneously, Health Minister Eatala Rajender assuaged the striking junior doctors assuring them to address their concerns during a five-hour-long meeting he had with them in the Secretariat on Saturday. The doctors called off the strike after the minister's assurance.

According to Telangana Junior Doctors' Association chairman Dr P S Vijayender, the minister gave them an assurance on three of their main demands and hence they had decided to withdraw their stir of indefinite boycott of elective duties.

"Age hike rules for all administrative posts to be framed with consultations, including T JUDA in the process.

Also contract notification published for the recruitment of faculty for Nalgonda and Suryapet Medical Colleges may be withdrawn after assessing feasibility of recognition by the MCI.

Recruitment to be taken up through the Medical Recruitment Board in a time-bound manner," Dr Vijayender said explaining their demands.

T JUDA advisor Dr G Srinivas said the government will prepare guidelines for implementing the fresh decision to hike the retirement age of teaching faculty.

"We appealed to the minister to involve us in the process and also stressed on clarity on senior professors holding administrative posts up to a certain age only and not continue until till the retirement depriving others of opportunities," said Dr Srinivas, adding that they will highlight their concerns before the committee appointed to frame guidelines.

Earlier in the day, junior doctors, who were surprised at the pace the ordinance for age hike was brought in by the government despite their opposition, upped the ante by calling for a "Chalo Gandhi hospital" protest, where a large number of doctors assembled around noon. They resolved to fight until their interests are protested.

Even as the protest was on, the doctors got the communication for talks with the minister after which a delegation left for the Secretariat. The talks between minister and the junior doctors lasted for five hours, from 2 pm till 7 pm.

Meanwhile, Governor ESL Narasimhan gave his consent for the Ordinance (Telangana Public Employment (Regulation of Age of Superannuation) Amendment Ordinance 2019), which would come into effect immediately.

Accordingly, in section 3 to sub-section (1) of the Telangana Public Employment (Regulation of Age of Superannuation) Act, 1984, the provision namely - Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors of Government Medical Colleges, Government Dental Colleges, including semi-autonomous and autonomous medical colleges shall retired from service on the afternoon of the last day of the month in which he/she attains the age of 65 years, was added.

A gazette notification was also issued in which it was stated that government tried to retain the senior faculty in government colleges to ensure quality medical education and patient care.