Shimla, March 29
The Senior Academic Medical Doctors’ Association (SAMDCOT), representing consultant doctors at IGMC Shimla, convened a General House meeting to deliberate on the deepening crisis in the state’s medical education system.
The Association raised serious concerns over administrative practices, alleging that the continued appointment of re-employed retirees to key posts such as Principal and Director of Medical Education violates the government’s own notification dated December 13, 2023. Members stated that granting Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) powers to such officials undermines policy and delays the promotion of eligible senior faculty.
SAMDCOT highlighted that no regular promotions to the post of Principal have been made since August 2022, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among senior doctors. The stagnation, they warned, is lowering morale and may trigger “quiet quitting,” potentially resulting in an exodus of experienced faculty. This, in turn, could jeopardize postgraduate (PG) course accreditation and severely impact medical education in the state.
The Association also strongly opposed the government’s proposal to defer 20–30% of salaries for Group A and B employees. Terming salaries a “protected right,” members pointed out that employees are already burdened with pending arrears and Dearness Allowance dues. They cautioned that the move would financially strain around 30,000 employees while offering minimal fiscal relief to the state.
The General House unanimously demanded the immediate rollback of the salary deferment proposal and called for transparent, merit-based promotions as per the seniority list.
SAMDCOT warned that failure to address these issues could adversely affect both the functioning of medical institutions and the quality of healthcare services in Himachal Pradesh.
