Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar/Jammu, May 13: More than 3,000 non-gazetted employees of five newly established Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in J&K today continued their indefinite strike over the delay in finalisation of Service Recruitment Rules (SRRs), with the agitation entering its third day.
The strike, which began on May 11, has affected routine healthcare services in GMCs Baramulla, Anantnag, Doda, Rajouri and Kathua.
Employees said disruptions have been reported in Outpatient Departments (OPDs), diagnostic units and elective procedures across the five medical colleges.
The protesting employees, however, said emergency and critical care services are being maintained for now in the interest of patient care.
They warned that these services could also be affected if the Government continues to delay action on their demands.
The employees said the administrations of their respective Medical Colleges have already been formally informed about the strike and that the matter has also been communicated to the concerned department.
“We will continue the strike until the Government formally notifies the recruitment rules and addresses our pending service-related issues,” one of the protesting employees said.
The agitating employees, recruited through the JKSSB during 2018 and 2019, include nurses, pharmacists, technicians, paramedical staff and ministerial employees posted in the five newly established Medical Colleges.
They alleged that despite rendering nearly seven years of service, the Government has failed to frame and notify recruitment rules governing their appointments, promotions and career progression.
According to the employees, the posts were created in 2017 and appointments were subsequently made in different departments of the five GMCs.
In 2021, the Government constituted a committee to frame recruitment rules and examine pay anomalies.
The employees claimed that seven committees have since been formed to resolve the issue, but the process remains incomplete.
They said draft recruitment rules were circulated for objections and suggestions in late 2025, but the final notification is still awaited.
The protesters said the absence of formally notified SRRs has also prevented the constitution of Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs), leaving thousands of employees without promotions or clarity regarding their future within the department.
“We have repeatedly been assured that the issue would be resolved within a few days, but nothing concrete has happened so far. Now even those assurances have stopped,” another employee said.
They said protests and sit-ins will continue across the campuses of the five medical colleges until the Government issues a concrete order regarding the recruitment rules.
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