The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) has announced a series of protest programmes highlighting the acute shortage of faculty and infrastructure in government medical colleges, along with long-pending anomalies in pay revision.
The agitation will begin with observing a Black Day on September 22, followed by dharnas in front of all government medical colleges and the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) office on September 23. The association warned that if its demands are not addressed, it would be forced to suspend teaching and outpatient (OP) services.
According to the KGMCTA, the state government’s policies are disrupting the smooth functioning of medical colleges in Kerala. “There is a huge gap between the student-teacher ratio and the number of doctors required to manage the patient overload in medical colleges, which is well known to both the DME and the government,” the association said in a statement.
While Kasaragod and Wayanad medical colleges recently received approval, KGMCTA pointed out that the necessary faculty posts were not created. Instead, teachers are being temporarily transferred from existing colleges, a move that adversely affects both teaching and patient care across the state. Even after three years of operation, Konni and Idukki medical colleges continue to face a severe shortage of staff and infrastructure, leaving doctors under immense pressure, said KGMCTA.
The association further criticised the policy of establishing a medical college in every district without ensuring the minimum faculty strength mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Temporary group transfers, described as short-term measures, have become routine, disrupting postgraduate teaching and patient care.
On the salary front, KGMCTA highlighted that the entry-level pay for Assistant Professors is unreasonably low, discouraging young doctors from joining or continuing in the profession. It also flagged serious flaws in the long-delayed pay revision, including pending arrears for four years and nine months.
The key demands raised by KGMCTA include:
– Creation of sufficient faculty posts in Kasaragod, Wayanad, Idukki, and Konni medical colleges as per NMC norms.
– Additional posts in all colleges proportional to patient load.
– Adequate infrastructure and equipment in line with NMC standards.
– Rectification of pay anomalies at the entry level.
– Immediate disbursal of arrears and resolution of other salary issues.
– Payment of central DA arrears on par with civil service and judicial officers in Kerala.
“Despite repeated representations, the government has failed to act, leaving us with no choice but to proceed with these protest programmes,” said KGMCTA leaders.
