The functioning of clinical departments and out-patient services in all Government Medical Colleges across the State are likely to be affected on Tuesday with the entire fraternity of post graduate medical students (junior and senior residents) going on a 24-hour token strike, to protest against the government’s decision to bring back the compulsory bond system for PG medicos, on the completion of their course.
The medicos are also marching to the office of the Director of Medical Education here. They will stay away from all hospital duties except emergency services for 24 hours.
The medicos are opposing the inclusion of a clause in the 2017-18 Prospectus for PG Medical courses, brought out by the Director of Medical Education which states that “all General merit candidates admitted to the Medical postgraduate courses in Kerala shall serve the Government of Kerala in Medical Education Services as Senior Residents for a continuous period of not less than three years immediately after the completion of the course without break.”
“The current system of one year cumulative service for PG students is being replaced with a three-year compulsory bond. In 2012, too the government had tried the same thing and the medicos had gone on a major strike opposing it. This unilateral decision of the government is unfair to say the least,” the president of Kerala Medical Postgraduates’ Association, P. Jathin, said.
Even though the proposed three-year bond system will be applicable only to new PG admissions in Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), the government’s stand that only the students of GMCs need to have social commitment is totally unacceptable, medicos said.
