Kerala doctors end stir, pension age remains 62

Thiruvananthapuram: Junior doctors of medical colleges on Sunday withdrew their indefinite strike against increase in retirement age after the state government offered to create more entry-level posts. Health principal secretary Rajeev Sadanandan will hold talks with junior doctors on their demand for reducing the 3-year bond for students passing PG courses. 

This was decided at the meeting between health minister K. K. Shailaja and the agitating doctors. As many as 44 doctors were to retire this year and 16 next year, who would now continue in service.    

The health department has already created 175 new posts, and more will follow under the Aardram project, besides a dental wing, the minister said. The agitators had demanded more PG seats, though the number was increased significantly last year.  The government will consider their demands in this regard, she said. The strike against raising the pension age from 60 to 62 had seriously hit the outpatient (OP) and inpatient (IP) services while they exempted casualty emergency services, ICUs and labour rooms. They say after rising the retirement age from 55 to 60 in 2009, there was a categorical assurance from the then health minister that there would no further increase.  Other doctor's organisations like Kerala Government Medical College Association (KGMCTA) have also opposed the decision as it would spoil promotion prospects of lower and middle-level faculty. The government has also decided to discuss forming a special rules based on the demand to make assistant professor the entry cadre.