Final year PG students in spot as medical college teachers’ agitation intensifies

State minister for medical education, Amit Deshmukh said this matter is being handled by the medical education secretary.

Mumbai: Uncertainty around the submission of thesis and final exams of postgraduate medical students continues as the ongoing strike of medical officers, including doctors of 18 state-run hospitals, intensified this week.

The association has made demands that their salaries are still not up to the seventh pay commission mark (ANI)

Refusing to budge unless the state government meets their demands, the Maharashtra State Medical Teacher’s Association (MSMTA) this week clarified that they will suspend all teaching activities for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. They will, however, continue participating in clinical work, said a statement released by the association.

“We are protesting the very insensitive approach of the government towards medical teachers who are responsible to train the future generation of MBBS and MD doctors. The government’s apathy towards us has developed too much unrest amongst teachers,” said Dr Samir Golawar, general secretary, MSMTA.

The association has made demands that their salaries are still not up to the seventh pay commission mark and have also demanded that sanctioned doctor posts by the government be regularised, especially for staff working on a contractual basis for several years now.

“Our demands are not illegitimate, nor are they new,” he added.

HT had recently reported how the ongoing unrest and suspension of teaching activities have left PG medical students in a spot. Most are waiting to submit their final dissertation but need signatures of their respective PG guides before submitting the same to the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS).

“Once again the university has extended our PG thesis submission date to February 15 without late fee and up to February 28 with a late fee. The problem is unless the state government responds, the strike will continue and this will directly affect the final examination as well,” said a PG medical student on condition of anonymity.

He added that the final exams are usually scheduled to take place in May every year. “MUHS announces exam schedule three months in advance but this year, there’s no mention of the schedule as yet. We are worried this delay will cost us academically,” added the student.

On being questioned about the government’s response to the ongoing strike, state minister for medical education, Amit Deshmukh said this matter is being handled by the medical education secretary. Medical education secretary Saurabh Vijay did not respond to the queries put forward by HT.