Doctors' Protest in Shimla

Doctors associated with Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) have reportedly decided to wear black ribbons at work from Friday onwards to protest against the government's indifference to their pending demands despite multiple assurances.

State Association of Medical and Dental Teachers (SAMDCOT) president Dr. Rajesh Sood said, "If the government continues to ignore our long-standing demands over the next couple of days, we will proceed on mass casual leave on October 4." The decision to mark their protest was taken at the general body meeting of SAMDCOT held today.

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One of the major demands of the doctors is the provision of academic allowance to the faculty in medical colleges. Dr. GK Verma, general secretary, SAMDCOT said, "There's a disparity in the salary of medical college faculty and the doctors in the field. The latter gets a PG allowance but it's not given to the teaching faculty. We are demanding the medical college faculty should get academic allowance to end this disparity."

Speaking to the Tribune India about their demands, Dr. Verma added, "Besides, we are demanding time-bound promotion in medical colleges. In departments where posts are not vacant, the doctors are given the higher designation without any financial benefits. We want the designation should come with financial benefits and this period should be counted in the seniority list."

The doctors are also opposing the deputation of doctors from the IGMC to other medical colleges, with Dr. Sood noting, "We are not opposed to deploying doctors for a short term at other medical colleges at the time of inspections. But it's not right to deploy doctors at other colleges for as long as six months," adding, "Also, we are opposing the government's decision to make the post of principal transferrable."

The doctors are also protesting the extension and re-employment of faculty members. Dr. Sood said, "The government had assured us that our demands would be approved and had set up a committee more than six months back for recommending our demands. Unfortunately, the committee has conducted just one meeting in over six months and has not made any recommendations to the government. So we have no choice but to register our protest."

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