Vet, Arts Faculty get paid more than Medical Teachers: Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association

Chennai: Medical College teachers are given a lesser remuneration than their counterparts, who man state run veterinary, agriculture and arts and science colleges, complained the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association, on Monday.

The disparity is further apparent in the fact that a Medical college doctor begins with a salary that is Rs 600 a month lesser than that for counterparts, and the first promotion that comes his/her way, after eight years in service, is way behind the two jumps that his veterinary counterpart has already received.

The Association in a 26 page document released to the media, has demanded equality of pay with central government doctors, similar work-based allowances,time-bound promotions, & retirement age.

Beginning at the same pay scale, the state government doctors fall behind their central government medical mates due to promotional gaps. While the central government gives doctors promotions in 4, 9, 13 and 20 years, the state government medical employees are promoted in a gap of 8,15,17 and 20 years, revealed the Association's State President, Dr. K. Senthil.

A doctor from the government medical service receives Rs 15,600 + Rs 5,400 as basic salary when he joins and net pay of close to Rs 40,000. They also get a 3% raise in basic pay every year. After nearly 10 years of service and one promotion in eight years, a government doctor receives a salary of Rs 42,949 with a basic of Rs 17,930 + Rs 5,400, dearness allowance of Rs 24,963 and HRA of Rs 3,000.

A government doctor in a medical college teaches medical students and provides supplementary supports in patient care. "The special pay they get every month is just Rs 100," said a senior government medical college doctor to the TOI.

"There are such gross differences in pay between Centre and state because teachers in state-run medical colleges are denied UGC or AICTE pay scales," he added.

The document will be submitted to the government by March 31.