No reservation in PG for in-service doctors says Hyderabad HC, Doctors now hunger Strike

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s decision taken earlier to scrap reservation for in-service doctors in the admissions for PG medical seats has been upheld by the Hyderabad High Court, on Monday, during the course of a hearing.The state had brought in weightage marks for in-service doctors, replacing reservations. The court's decision also saw government doctors protest by sitting on a hunger strike on the same day that the order was upheld.

As per the new norms set by the state government, those presently employed as government doctors are to be given 10 marks for every year of service put in by them in rural or tribal areas. This would be subject to three years of work and a 30 marks incentive.

The Bench has brought in a slight alteration in the state’s ruling in this regard by striking down the condition of 3 years of work in rural areas in lieu of weightage marks. Instead, it has directed that doctors will be eligible for granting of 10 marks for a 1 year of service and 20 marks for a two-year service in rural areas. It further clarified that a 3-year norm cannot be insisted upon. The rule will be applicable to the 50% seats that come the state quota way, under the new NEET PG program.

The bench comprising of Justice K Vijaya Lakshmi and the acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan while giving the above directive was hearing the pleas filed scores of in-service doctors, who challenged the government orders issued by the AP and Telangana governments abolishing reservations.

Meanwhile, the Special Counsel, Telangana state, Sanjeev Kumar told the court that his party’s decision was in line with the Supreme Court orders and the Medical Council(MCI), regulations

“We amended our rules and brought in Telangana State PG Medical Admissions rules duly replacing reservations with weightage,” he said, reported TOI. The Bench supporting the state initiative upheld the decision to replace reservation with weightage.

Meanwhile, Government doctors on Monday had stated that they would continue demanding that the government withdraw its decision to do away with reservation in post-graduate degree courses for in-service doctors.

The two orders issued by the government last month announcing that it was doing away with reservation in admissions to post-graduate degree courses, saw the government doctors raise their voices of protest. A few doctors went as far as approaching the High Court for relief, but the court on Monday dismissed their plea.

The Telangana Government Doctors Association’s wings at State-run hospitals and the Gandhi Hospital doctors who sat on a hunger strike said if demands were not met the agitation would be intensified reports Hindu.

“We expect more people to join us on Tuesday. But our protest will not disturb patient care. The protest is also underway to realize other demands from the government,” said G. Bhumesh Kumar of TGDA’s Gandhi wing.

Simultaneously, Kaloji Narayan Rao University of Health Sciences, Vice-Chancellor, B. Karunkar Reddy told the Hindu, that “Subject to minor changes, the court has upheld the government’s orders. These changes include reservation for diploma admission for in-service candidates, and the duration of a deputation to those who have completed diploma,”

In an earlier story done by Medical Dialogues on Telangana, it was reported that with30% reservation for PG courses having been done away with by the government, incentive marks for government doctors aiming to pursue postgraduate medical courses would be added to their overall National Eligibility Entrance Test scores.

This change came in face of the government deciding to give away 50% of seats to the all India pool, in accordance with the MCI directives. The outcome of this change from the 2018-19 academic year would result in Telangana students being open to compete for 8000 seats across the country, as against the mere 323 seats given away by the state to the all India pool.

Read also: Telangana State draws new norms for in-service doctors for pursuing PG Medical Courses