THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The junior doctors are up in arms against the government's move to increase the retirement age of medical college doctors from 62 to 65.
The junior doctors are opposing the move as they believe that such a decision would adversely affect appointments at the entry grade level.
Besides it will discourage MBBS graduates aspiring for a career in the medical education sector.
The junior doctors say that more than 3,500 MBBS doctors and 1,500 PG doctors pass out of medical colleges annually and the increase in retirement age would hit their job prospects badly. The issue of retirement age increase is before the finance department.
Sources in the government said the issue will be discussed in the LDF state committee before taking a final decision. Moreover, the government is also eliciting the response of various sections in the health sector.
The government had increased the retirement age of medical college doctors from 60 to 62 and health service doctors from 56 to 60 in 2017. The junior doctors say there is no justification for increasing the retirement age again and that too in less than two years.
"We have directed the KGMCTA units in all medical colleges to hold general body meetings to finalise their opinion on the issue. A formal decision will be taken after getting the opinion from the 10 units," said an office-bearer of Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) which is the biggest organisation of medical college doctors in the state with a membership of 2000 doctors.
The junior doctors also pointed out that the government while increasing the retirement age of medical college doctors from 55 to 60 in 2009, had categorically assured there would be no further increase in the retirement age.
Both the junior doctors and KGMCTA believe that further increase in retirement age would spoil promotion prospects of lower and middle level faculty.
Moreover, the shortage was more in the level of associate professors and at the entry grade level. MCI threat to de-recognise the courses was mainly because of shortage of associate, assistant professors and in adequate infrastructure facilities.
