The Madras High Court has come to the help of a doctor who has completed PG course and rejoined government service, by ordering payment of due salary for the course period.
Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar gave the direction while passing orders on a petition from Dr C T Muthukumaran. He was appointed as assistant surgeon in TN Medical Services in 2005 and joined as a medical officer in the Community Health Centre at Tiruppuvanam. After serving two years, he applied for a PG course under service category. He got admission at the Chennai Cancer Institute in 2009 and completed the course in April 2011.
As per the bond with the government, he returned to service and was posted as Casualty Medical Officer at the Chengalpattu Medical College. Being a service candidate, he did not receive any stipend during the course period. Since he was not paid salary for his PG course period he wrote to the government. As there was no response even after reminders, he filed a petition.
Justice Vasanthakumar pointed out that the government had not filed any counter opposing the demand. The government advocate, however, produced a draft counter-affidavit prepared in November 2011, which said the matter had been referred to Medical Education Director to send proposals to the government for regularizing the period of the medical officer and grant of stipend/salary for the two-year period. Government’s decision was waited for sanction of pay and allowances for the course period, it added.