Tamil Nadu: Retain service quota for PG selection, urge doctors

Chennai: In support of those fighting for their deserved quota in postgraduate admissions in the state counselling, all UGs and PGs and CRRIs (house surgeons) of the Students’ Welfare Association for MMC PGs’ CRRIs’ and UGs (Stamp) at the Madras Medical College (MMC), on Thursday, boycotted their services from 7.30 am to 9.30 am. Condemning the high court judgment curtailing the service quota, over 1,000 doctors participated in the strike. In a letter to the Dean of the College, the students said that they have decided to go on strike from Friday, without affecting emergency services and if a positive response is not given by the Government, their strike could continue as an indefinite one.

A copy of the letter was also sent to the Director of Medical Education, Medical Superintendent and Resident Medical Officer of the Hospital and the Vice Principal and Heads of all Departments at MMC. Echoing the same request of the government, the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, on Thursday evening, convened an emergency general body meeting and passed a few resolutions. They urged the state government to conduct the PG counselling as per the existing norms and rules framed in the PG prospectus without affecting the benefits of the In-service candidates.

The members of the association resolved to completely boycott the OP and Elective Surgeries on Friday. However, Emergency care services will be run without affecting the patient care. They also requested all doctors to participate in a token fast from 9 am to 4 pm near Dean Pillar, MMC on Friday and stated that the further course of action will be decided after the emergency meeting that will be held on Friday evening.