Kerala Medicos protest against retirement age increase in medical colleges

Thiruvanathapuram: The Kerala Medicos Joint Action Council’s (KMJAC),threatened protest against the government’s decision to increase the retirement age of doctors turned into reality on December 19, when Medical students — undergraduates, house surgeons and postgraduates — in state government medical colleges went on a strike from work and studies to express their opposition to the government’s decision.

A November 28 order of the government had hiked the retirement age of doctors in medical education service from 60 to 62 years and that of doctors in the health service from 56 to 60 years.

The aggravated younger doctors had voiced their protests then, stating that while 1900 doctors awaited PSC appointments in the health service, 200 were in line for various rank lists in medical education service.

The Council raising the issue of increase in retirement ages raised the job prospect issues for the younger medical practitioners, stating that nearly 3,500 MBBS graduates and 2000 specialist doctors passed out, annually, looking for work as well, reports Hindu.

Threatening to go on indefinite strike from December 23 and a hunger strike from December 25, the KMJAC, however, clarified that emergency services, would continue without disruptions.

In an earlier story done by the Medical Dialogues team, it was reported that the Government’s decision to increase the retirement age of doctors in medical colleges and medical offices in the Directorate of Health Services was protested against by medical students of the state, who marched to the Principal’s office to register their opposition.

The student’s were demanding government’s withdrawal from its decision to raise the retirement age. Joint Action Council, State Secretary, Dr. Mithun Mohan and Kerala Medical PG Association (KMPGA), State Secretary, Dr. Rohit Krishna leading the protest stated that the government ought to make fresh recruitments to the posts instead of increasing pension ages.

Read also: Protest march carried out by medical students against retirement age of faculty and DHS officials