MARD opposes Biometric attendance for resident doctors

Nagpur: The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), keeping in mind the long hours of duty put in by resident doctors in the wards, has strongly objected to Government Medical Colleges(GMCs) starting Bio metric Attendance for them.

The Association has shot off letters of objection to the Medical Council of India(MCI), and the Directorate, Medical Education and Research(DMER) expressing their reservations regarding the same, confirmed Dr Parag Narkhede, General Secretary, MARD.

"GMCs are forcing resident doctors to follow the newly-introduced bio metric attendance system in the name of MCI. But truth is that MCI notification, dated January 31, 2017, has asked the teaching faculty at the GMCs to register for the bio metric system and there is no mention of resident doctors in the notification. MCI has taken this step to keep a tab on the bogus candidates that are shown as staff during the MCI inspections," he added.

The letter written to the authorities by the MARD raises the issue of long hours of work put in by resident doctors, being far more than those specified under the Central Residency Scheme(CRS). "A resident doctor has to slog for thirty six hours at a stretch. It is highly impossible for the resident residents to punch the bio metric system for days together,' the letter states. The letter requests the apex education regulator and the DMER not to force the residents to register and punch daily attendance for the MCI database.

President, MARD, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Dr Dinesh Sharma in another letter to the College Dean, Dr A Niswade states, "If they want us to punch our attendance, they should also follow all the rules of the CRS and the orders of the Supreme Court for resident doctors,"reports TOI.