Hyderabad: Though the state government has increased the retirement age of doctors to 65 years, the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) has not yet implemented it, upsetting doctors of this premier institute.
The order increasing the retirement age was issued by the state government in June 2019. All government medical colleges and teaching hospitals have implemented the government’s decision, expect NIMS.
Three key professors of Nizam’s institute are scheduled to retire in the next six months in case the hike in retirement age is not implemented. Senior faculty and junior staff have sent several representations to the hospital director seeking implementation of the government order, but to no avail.
Dr Ch. Ram Reddy, professor of urology, who conducts 120 kidney transplants per year, Dr P. Usharani, additional professor of clinical pharmacology, and Dr M. Jyotsna, professor of radiology, are the important faculty who are to retire soon. Their experience and skills can be used by the institute if the retirement age is enhanced as per orders of the government.
Incidentally, most of such senior faculty of government hospitals are immediately absorbed by private medical colleges to utilise their wealth of medical knowledge. Senior faculty members at NIMS say it is important that the government order is implemented as services of these senior doctors are required by the institute.
At the same time, promotions of 50 senior doctors are also pending and they have to be carried out immediately.
A senior faculty, on condition of anonymity, said, “The issues of increasing the retirement age, granting promotions, and settling our monetary arrears are pending with the government. We do not know the reason for delay,” the doctor stated.
There are concerns being raised in certain quarters whether the delay is because the government first wants the non-Telangana faculty to retire. “This is regional politics at play. It is becoming more of Telangana versus others. This is not the right approach as it will harm the institute in the long run,” a senior doctor remarked.
Administration of NIMS, however, maintains that the delay is because of the Act that governs the institute, which is semi-autonomous body. Till the time changes are not made in the Act, the retirement age and other decisions cannot be implemented.
But why have the required changed not been made from June 2019 to January 2020? Why is the inordinate delay continuing?
NIMS Director Dr M. Manohar refused to comment on the subject.
