Reduce retirement age of docs to 58 yrs: IGMC assn

Subhash Rajata

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 18

The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, has urged the government to reduce the retirement age of doctors to 58 or 60 years. It fears that MBBS pass-outs will struggle to find jobs in the state. The retirement age of the faculty in medical colleges in Shimla and Tanda is 62 years, while it’s 65 years in other medical colleges. Recently, the retirement age of the super specialty faculty was increased to 65 years. For the GDO cadre, the retirement age is 60 years.

“Walk-in interviews for the placement of MBBS doctors have not been held for the past three months. Also, we doubt there will be campus placements in medical colleges this year,” said the RDA. “In view of the situation, the government should reduce the retirement age of doctors, which was raised a few years ago to tide over the shortage of doctors when new medical colleges were started,” it said.

The Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA) supported the the views of the RDA. It said the enhanced retirement age was not only keeping young doctors waiting but also blocking the promotion of those already in the job. “If an individual continues to hold a regular post up to the age of 62 and 65, or even beyond that if he gets extension in service, he is denying the young and eligible doctors working in peripheral hospitals an opportunity to get into a medical college as Assistant Professor,” said Dr Pushpender Verma, secretary, HMOA.

He also reiterated that the retirement age should be reduced to 58 years for every doctor and this should be done immediately in case of administrative posts. “If the government needs the services of any doctor, he or she can be re-employed on a contractual basis. Why extend the retirement age and create problems for young MBBS pass-outs and those already in the service,” he said.

Dr Verma said it was high time that the cadre strength of the GDO was increased. “We have a cadre strength of around 2,400 doctors for a long time. It needs to be at least doubled to accommodate doctors coming out of our medical colleges and provide quality health services to people,” he added.