Service doctors to get priority over PG students in transfers

Justice T Raja, passing an interim order on the writ petition moved by the Service Doctors Welfare Association, said, “This Court hereby directs the authorities of Health and Family Welfare Department, Directorate of Medical Education and Directorate of Medical Services, to follow the guidelines for transfer and promotion as per the Government Order No:131 dated November 20, 2007 read with the Government letter issued on January 25, 2017.” The service doctor’s association represented by its Secretary Dr G Suresh of Chennai had submitted that allowing PG students to participate in the posting counselling prior to that of serving senior post graduate medical officers would deplete the vacancies in premier medical institutes.

He submitted that results for PG students are due in July and in case they fail, the posts selected by them cannot be occupied and will lie vacant for more than a year until the next transfer counselling. 

Based on this, the plea had challenged the impugned circular dated May 24, 2017 issued by the Directorate of Medical Education, which paved way for the participation of PG Students whose results are yet to be declared.