Rank-holders on the Kerala Public Service Commission’s list for assistant surgeons are an apprehensive lot.
The situation is being attributed to the delay on the part of the government in conducting appointments to the vacant posts.
Despite the PSC publishing a rank list of 3,500 candidates over two years ago, advice memos had been sent only to 847 candidates till recently.
The efforts of the Kerala PSC Assistant Surgeon Rank Holders Association had resulted in 239 more candidates receiving advice memos a few days ago. The PSC was expected to issue memos to more candidates within a few weeks, sources said. However, scepticism prevails among the candidates over the government’s intent.
Temporary basis
Association secretary Jisanth B. James said the Health Department had not reported all vacancies to the PSC. Moreover, doctors were being appointed to several vacant slots on a temporary basis.
“Our plight is compounded by a recommendation of the Health Secretary that the process of conducting appointments will take nearly eight months, which may create a crisis in the public health sector. It is estimated that there will be over 1,000 vacant posts of assistant surgeons this year. Roughly over 300 doctors are set to retire by the end of the month. To tide over the crisis, it has been recommended to either raise the retirement age or extend the service period of existing doctors,” Dr. James alleged.
He said several doctors had benefited through extension of six months on two occasions. “The health sector stood to face the consequences of a mass retirement owing to such actions of the government,” he said. The rank-holders received a shot in the arm when the Kerala Administrative Tribunal on February 25 instructed the Health Department to report vacancies to the PSC within two months.
