In-service doctors file plea against difficult areas categorisation, notice issued to government

Justice K Kalyanasundaram before whom the petition moved by four doctors came up for hearing directed the Special Government Pleader to obtain necessary instructions and posted the matter for further hearing to April 2. 

The petitioners, who are in-service candidates, have applied for the PG Admission for 2018-19 and entitled to get incentive marks for their services in the remote/difficult areas. They have challenged the Government Order issued on March 9 and 23, which has identified remote and difficult areas based on vacancy position of doctors in each district and health indicators. Areas with low density of doctors, high vacancy and poor health indicators have been declared as backward districts in its entirety and declared as Category A and made eligible for 100% of intensive marks. 

Stating that the above cannot be criteria since as per the Supreme Court order it has to be evolved based on the criteria evolved by the National Health System Resources Centre (NHSRC), the petitioners submitted that the classification of areas should be made based on the difficulties/challenges in reaching the health services in the areas as per geographical conditions. 

The vacancy position, density of doctors and health indicators cannot be the criteria for identification of remote/difficult areas as all these factors were not permanent features and they were liable for change from time to time. Moreover, the committee has not availed any suggestions from in-service doctors who were the stakeholders, the petitioners said.