CHENNAI: Service PG doctors have opposed the temporary posting orders issued by the Director of Medical Education and Research (DME), saying they were posted without counselling, unlike in previous years and that this arrangement is causing them hardship. However, the DME said the arrangement was made to ensure that doctors receive their salary without delay.
Service PG doctors said usually after completing their PG course, they are given regular postings following counselling. But this time even doctors who are yet to complete their course have been ordered to report immediately.
“Our practical examination started on September 28 and is still going on. Meanwhile, DME issued an order asking us to report to the posted institution immediately. It is not possible when doctors are preparing for practical exams. Since it is a temporary posting, we do not know when the permanent posting will be made. We cannot completely relocate from our current place for a temporary posting. This is causing us unnecessary hardship,” a service PG doctor studying in Chennai said.
Another service PG doctor said many doctors have to travel to other districts to join immediately. Several colleges have also started relieving PG doctors. Doctors also alleged that postings were not based on service seniority this time.
In her letter dated September 5 to the deans of government medical colleges, Dr V Lokanayaki, director of medical education and research, instructed them to immediately relieve postgraduate service doctors who had completed their PG course so that they can report to their posted institutions.
She also requested the deans to issue non-drawal certificates to the relieved service postgraduate doctors, enabling them to claim their salary at the new institution from the day after completion of their course until they join their reassigned posts. Service PG doctors who had not completed their courses are to be relieved on the day they complete them, she said. The DME also instructed the doctors to join duty at their assigned posts immediately.
Service PG doctors said the DME had cited salary delays faced by previous batches as the reason for the temporary arrangement. “Usually, after completing the course, the salaries of service PG doctors are stopped until they receive their postings. After posting, we receive the pending salary once the process is completed. We are okay with that gap as it is a routine procedure,” another PG doctor said.
Dr Lokanayaki told TNIE that the temporary arrangement had been made to ensure that doctors receive their salaries without delay. Previous batches had faced salary issues and some doctors were still facing such problems. She said the majority of doctors were comfortable with the temporary arrangement as it was intended to ensure timely payment and only a few had raised objections.