Outsourced employees at Rohtak health university launch indefinite strike

The long-standing demand for the shifting of outsourced employees at Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak (UHSR), to the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) resurfaced with renewed intensity on Monday. The HKRN is a government body established to manage the recruitment of contractual staff across the state.

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A section of the outsourced staff began an indefinite strike, staging a dharna at Vijay Park on the university campus. The employees have vowed to continue their agitation until their demand is fulfilled.

They have also accused the private agency responsible for supplying staff to the university of harassment, alleging arbitrary wage deductions through false absentee marking.

At present, UHSR has 1,271 outsourced employees, including 962 bearers, 55 data entry operators and 254 others in various roles. These employees are recruited via a private firm, although their salaries are paid directly by the university.

Rakesh, a representative of the outsourced workers, said the demand was not new.

“We went on strike in January as well and the administration assured us we would be shifted to HKRN. But five months later, nothing has changed. The state already has a policy to recruit through HKRN, yet we remain ignored,” he said.

The protesters argue that being brought under HKRN would dismantle the exploitative contractor system (‘thekedari pratha’), offering regular leave, timely salary increments and protection from unfair deductions.

One employee said that three former outsourced workers had submitted a written complaint to authorities at the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), accusing the private firm of corruption and irregularities. While an inquiry is reportedly underway, no action has yet been taken.

Meanwhile, the strike has had a partial impact on hospital operations. A doctor from the Orthopaedics Department reported in a WhatsApp message to the PGIMS faculty group at 8.45 am that the Modular Operation Theatre had not started functioning due to the absence of bearers. The theatre is scheduled to begin operations at 8 am.

However, the PGIMS administration denied any disruption in services.

Dr SK Singhal, Director of PGIMS, said it was the responsibility of the private firm to ensure adequate manpower even during a strike. “The number of striking employees is not high and the firm has deployed additional staff. Therefore, no visible impact of the strike was observed,” he claimed.

Asked about the demand to shift the workers to HKRN, Prof Singhal said PGIMS had already requested the state authorities to effect the change.

Switch to HKRN can save Rs 41 lakh annually

Pt BD Sharma University could save over Rs 41 lakh annually if all 1,271 outsourced employees currently hired through a private firm were instead recruited through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam.

This was officially conveyed by the university in a recent communiqué to the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), bolstering the protesters’ argument. “If hiring through a private agency costs the university more, why is the administration reluctant to shift us to HKRN?” asked one protesting employee.

The strikers contend that persisting with a costlier, contractor-based model lacks both financial logic and ethical justification when a government-backed alternative exists.