TN: A black badge protest demanding MCI rule amendments

Chennai: A black badge demonstration was staged by Members of the Government All Doctors’ Association and Doctors’ Association for Social Equality at Stanley Medical College and Hospital on Thursday, demanding amendments to the Medical Council of India(MCI) rules.

A 50% reservation is being demanded by government doctors in PG and super specialty medical courses, by the two associations after being denied the same from the Medical Council of India, and the apex court.

“The rules and regulations by Medical Council of India for PG medical admission need to be amended, providing separate reservation to government doctors in PG and super specialty medical course. If these issues are not considered, the underprivileged section of the society will be affected that largely depends on the government hospitals for medical services,” said Dr G. Ravindranath, Secretary, Doctors' Association for Social Equality.

The doctors are also agitating against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill and demanding its withdrawal. The doctors are also against the national medical Commission’s proposal of conducting an entrance test for MBBS students after graduation to avail a practicing license. They are demanding that this proposal by the NMC be amended.

“National Legal Medicine Evaluation tests for medical practitioners should not be introduced. We also oppose the replacement of Medical Council of India by ex-officio government members,” Government All Doctors’ Association, Member, S. Arvind told the Deccan Chronicle,

The National Medical Commission proposes to have a panel of five elected and 12 ex-officio members; a committee under the Cabinet Secretary is to select the board members.

However, the medicos are demanding the formation of a panel, under the existing structure of the MCI, constituted by medical doctors as council members.

In an earlier story done by the Medical Dialogues team, it had been reported that 50 percent reservation has been asked for in PG courses by the South Indian State Government Doctors Association (SISGDA) from both the State and central governments in institutions all across the country under state quotas, for government doctors. This demand was raised at a meeting held in Vijayawada.

The meeting was attended by both association members and doctors from other south Indian states. The doctors at the meeting decided to wear black badges in protest on January 25 and also boycott work on January 31 to press for their demands in healthcare facilities all over the southern zone of the country.

Read also: Andhra Pradesh: 50% reservation in PG courses for government doctors, demands SISGDA