Tamil Nadu PG Govt Service Doctors upset with PPP model hostels in Medical Colleges

Chennai: The proposal of Tamil Nadu Health Department to set up Postgraduate hostels in government medical colleges on public-private partnership (PPP) model has been strongly opposed by the PG government service doctors in the State.

While the State Director of Medical Education has sought remarks from the government medical chiefs in this regard, the PG government service doctors are strictly opposing these as they are concerned that hostel fees will get increased if PPP models are introduced in the hostel facilities.

Apart from this, the doctors are also worried over the fact that while currently the students partially manage the mess and the hostel, once the PPP model is introduced, they will lose that opportunity.

The proposal for setting up PG hostels on PPP model has been introduced by the State Health Department and accordingly the State DME, Dr. R Shanthi Malar issued a circular to all the deans of government medical colleges on December 8, 2022.

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Issuing the circular, the DME requested the heads of the medical colleges to furnish remarks on the possibility of establishing the PG hostels on the PPP model. As per the latest media report by the New Indian Express, the DME had informed the vice principals and the wardens of the women's and men's hostels as well. PG students of all the colleges were asked to furnish the remarks in Google forms and submit the same to the DME on or before 5 pm on December 19, 2022.

However, the proposal has been strongly opposed by the PG government service doctors. While commenting on this, a PG doctor at Government Stanley Medical College told TNIE, "We are opposing it as the hostel fees will be increased. Also, the hostel and mess are managed partially by students. They will lose the opportunity to learn leadership and organising skills. Hostels run by private individuals will be like a boarding school with no freedom."

Concerned over the fact that who will be responsible for fixing the fees for these PPP model hostels, another doctor at Sivagangai Medical College added, "Hostels have to be maintained by the government. In fact, it is their duty. Already stipend for post-graduate students is low in Tamil Nadu. Now, adopting such a model will financially burden the already exhausted students."

The proposal has been opposed by Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association - PG Wing as well. Issuing a statement in this regard, the association said, "We request the government to drop the idea of PPP model. Instead, the government could get proposal from all medical colleges to build new or renovate, expand existing hostels."

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