Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, June 3: A delegation of senior doctors led by Dr Rajiv Sood, Director, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh to thank him for enhancement in their retirement age up to 65 years.
Offering bouquets to Dr Jitendra Singh as a token of thanks – giving, the doctors said that enhancement in retirement age was a long pending demand of theirs but had never been addressed in the past. They expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his intervention and appreciated Dr Jitendra Singh for the keen personal follow-up done by him.
Acknowledging the gesture of thanks – giving, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he has always held the view that we should not allow the expertise and talent of our doctors to go waste at a time when it is at its prime. He said, many of the best medical professionals, who end up in private hospitals after retirement without much work to perform, can better be retained in Government institutions for more valuable service to the poor and the needy.
As far as doctors in the teaching institutions are concerned, Dr Jitendra Singh said, while the Central Government has already enhanced their retirement age to 65 years, the Indian Medical Council (IMC) allows them to be in teaching faculty till the age of 70 years, as a result of which the 5 year period between 65 and 70 years of age is often not adequately utilized. He said,a mechanism has to be devised for adequate utilization of this grey period of 5 years without obstructing the promotion prospects of those who are in the second line waiting for elevation. One of the options, he said, is to allow them to continue as teachers or Professors in their pay scale but make sure that they relinquish the administrative posts like HoD or Director or Principal.
Meanwhile, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Government will also have to address the issue of lack of faculty for newly opened Medical Colleges and AIIMS across the country as well as making conditions comfortable in rural and peripheral areas for specialist doctors to go there and work with convenience.
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