Doctors call off strike, service back on track

The medical college teachers of all the six government medical colleges called off their boycott on Thursday midnight after the government assured them in writing that the March 7 order will be applicable only to new medical colleges.

Through its March 7 order, the government redesignated junior specialists as assistant professors, senior specialists as associate professors and principal specialists as professors – paving the way for them to teach in medical colleges. The move was part of the Rajasthan government’s strategy to fill faculty positions in eight new medical colleges across the state.

Around 350 medical teachers of Sawai Man Singh Medical College had resigned on Wednesday and boycotted work over the state government’s decision to redesignate doctors as medical teachers. Medical teachers from other medical colleges joined the agitation and boycotted work on Thursday.

Rajasthan Medical College Teachers Association (RMCTA) secretary Dr Dhananjai Agarwal on Friday said, “Talks went on for a long time with health minister Kali Charan Saraf, after which the government gave us in writing that the March 7, 2017, order to make medical officers ‘equivalent’ to medical college teachers will be applicable only in the eight new medical colleges and not in the existing six government medical colleges.”

Doctors in the new medical colleges will be appointed according to the Medical Council of India (MCI) norms, informed RMCTA senior vice president Dr RK Jain.

SMS Medical College principal Dr US Agarwal said, “All medical teachers have joined their duties.”

Meanwhile, the All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association (ARISDA) welcomed the decision and said that it would pave way for doctors to become medical teachers.

In Rajasthan, medical teachers report to the medication education department and the doctors under the health department. Medical teachers are designated as assistant professor, associate professor and professor.