The Himachal Medical Officers Association is calling for a review of the state’s new PG admission policy, seeking fair recognition of rural service and equal opportunities for experienced doctors in postgraduate seat allocations.
HMOA Raises Concerns Over PG/SS Policy Amendment
The Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA) has urged the state government to reconsider the PG/SS Policy Amendment notification issued on October 28, seeking fair evaluation of the services rendered by old General Duty Officers (GDOs) and equal opportunities for all eligible doctors in postgraduate admissions. The association said the contribution, length of service and eligibility provisions applicable to doctors already serving in the Health Department must be taken into account while implementing any new policy.
Clarifying its position, HMOA said it was not opposed to postgraduate education opportunities for newly recruited Job Trainee Medical Officers, but stressed that such opportunities should not come at the cost of doctors who had spent several years serving in rural, remote and other healthcare institutions across the state. According to the association, several old GDOs had completed their initial three years, or approximately 1,095 days, in mandatory rural and field service after their appointment. During this period, doctors worked with limited resources, provided emergency medical services and contributed to maternal and child healthcare, infectious disease control and other essential health programmes. Many also served on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Call for Fair Recognition of Service
HMOA said these years of service should receive appropriate recognition during the calculation of Rural Incentive Marks for PG admissions. The association expressed concern that if the initial three years of mandatory service were treated as a zero-incentive period and excluded from the calculation, doctors would not receive benefits commensurate with their actual service. It maintained that the eligibility of doctors who had served in rural areas or other qualifying field postings should be assessed objectively, based on applicable rules and their actual service records.
The association also highlighted the concerns of doctors who had served for three years or more in urban healthcare institutions, where they were not eligible for rural incentives. It said their cases should also be reviewed in accordance with the applicable policy, nature of postings and eligibility conditions. HMOA maintained that the objective of rural incentives was to strengthen healthcare delivery in difficult and remote areas, but the PG admission policy should also ensure fairness to doctors who had already served under earlier provisions. No doctor, it said, should suffer an unfair disadvantage merely because they had completed their service under an earlier policy framework before subsequent amendments were introduced.
Specific Demands for Policy Review
Referring to the October 28 notification, the association said Clause 4(B) had been amended to allow Job Trainee Medical Officers to be considered for PG (MD/MS) and PG (MDS) courses under the 66.6 per cent in-service quota, subject to prescribed conditions. The notification also provides for conditions relating to the remaining Job Trainee service and bond obligations after completion of postgraduate courses. HMOA said the introduction of these provisions should be accompanied by a comprehensive review of the position of old GDOs, particularly their qualifying service, Rural Incentive Marks and the impact of the amendments on their merit-based admissions.
The association stressed that the issue should not be viewed as a conflict between newly recruited and existing doctors, but as a matter of equal opportunity, transparency and fair recognition of service. It said the government had a responsibility to ensure that new doctors received educational opportunities while protecting the legitimate interests of those who had already contributed years of service to the state’s healthcare system.
HMOA has urged the state government to undertake a comprehensive review of the PG/SS policy and related amendments to ensure that the service rendered by old GDOs receives appropriate consideration. Its key demands include a fair assessment of the initial three years of qualifying rural or field service, including the 1,095 days, for Rural Incentive Marks; appropriate weightage for eligible service while determining PG admission merit; and a review of the cases of doctors who served in urban institutions without receiving rural incentives. The association has also sought a review of Annexures B and C and other relevant provisions, with necessary amendments or clarifications to ensure that service calculation and incentive rules are transparent and equitable. It further urged the government to provide clarity on the issue before PG counselling, wherever feasible within the applicable rules and timelines.
HMOA said every doctor had an important role in the state’s healthcare system, with newly recruited doctors representing its future and experienced GDOs providing the foundation of existing health services. It said the interests of one category of doctors should not be placed against those of another and called for a balanced approach that recognised the contributions of both. The association expressed hope that the state government would reconsider the policy in view of the actual service rendered by old GDOs, the need for equal opportunities among eligible doctors and the requirements of the state’s healthcare system. It urged the government to take appropriate steps towards a fair and transparent resolution of the issue. (ANI)
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