CHENNAI: For 15 months, service postgraduate doctors at the Rajah Muthiah Medical College have allegedly not received their salary. With this being the only source of income for most families, several of these doctors of the 2018-21 batch approached the Director of Medical Education on Thursday, saying it was becoming increasingly difficult to balance their personal and academic expenses.
“We joined post graduation with the hope of receiving this salary amount,” read a letter addressed to the DME. “As service candidates, we have not received any stipend. Our salary is the only source of income for most of our families.” Speaking to Express, DME R Narayanababu said the salary money was being processed.
“As per the new policy, salary will not be given to service post graduates studying in self-financing medical colleges,” he said. “Salary will be paid only to postgraduate students in government medical colleges and at Rajah Muthiah Medical College. We are in the process of processing the salary. They will get it...”
Speaking to Express, a student said they had been making representations to the government for the past one year. “Nothing has happened so far, apart from promises that things will be set right shortly. We are still dependent on our parents for money.” A source said the reason why the salaries were not dispensed was the ‘looming financial crisis’.
“The finance department has objected to disbursal of salaries, as there is a financial crisis. They also cited there is surplus of postgraduates in the government service. So, they stopped. They paid the salary only in 2016-2017,” the source said. “Service postgraduates sign bonds, saying they will take up government service after completing their course,” says a government doctor.
“So, technically, government should be paying them salaries as they are service doctors. The government, however, keeps arguing that students are not serving the public while studying the course and hence, there is no need to pay them salaries. This should be addressed legally.”