Rohit Shishodia
Aggrieved over not being paid salaries in accordance with the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) recommensdations, over eight hundred junior resident doctors of the University College of Medical Science (UCMS) attached with GTB hospital, Delhi, have threatened to boycott healthcare services from March 2019.

The doctors are disappointed that it has been three years since the recommendations of the 7th CPC were implemented in all government institutions, but they are still deprived of their salary rights. They contend that implementation of 7th CPC is being delayed by the University Grants Commission which comes under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry.

The doctors refer to a letter issued by the Directorate General of Health Services to the HRD ministry seeking revision of salary as per 7th CPC in line with RML and Safdarjung hospitals.

The doctors had struck work in GTB hospital in December, 2018, over non payment of salary as per 7th CPC. They resumed services after the letter sent by the Health Ministry to HRD ministry to revise their salary but till date they are yet to get salary as per 7th CPC.

The doctors said that a copy of this letter was also given to them but till date no positive step has been taken to provide them their right.  

They add that the HRD ministry has sought details of the matter from the Health Ministry but that is taking too much time and nobody knows how much more time it will take. Therefore, the doctors said, they will halt healthcare services from March 2019.

Dr Anand Chopra, President, RDA, GTB hospital, told DTMT: “If junior residents are not paid salary as per 7th CPC soon, nearly 800 PG students (junior residents) at UCMS will strike work. This strike will be supported by resident doctors of Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University and Jamia Millia Islamia. These universities also come under UGC. This means that thousands of doctors will strike work in four major medical colleges in the country.”