Doctors Allowed to Avail Study Leave During First 5 Years of Service in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The doctors working under the State Health and Family Welfare Department of Orissa will be allowed to avail study leave even during the first five years of their service, the State Health Department clarified on Monday.

The Secretary of the State Health and Family Welfare Department Shalini Pandit issued this clarification after taking note of the grievances of the post-graduate and post-PG medicos.

As per the statement by the State Government, the service doctors would be allowed to avail a maximum period of six years of study leave subject to other conditions of absence from duty.

Apart from this, the statement issued by the State Health Department further clarified that the period of study leave would also get counted towards promotion.

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Mentioning that the doctors would be granted study leave for higher studies even during the first five years of their service, the Secretary mentioned, “This was concurred by Finance Department vide their notification No-10235 of March 31, 2023. A maximum period of 6 years study leave would be allowed subject to other conditions of the absence from duty," adds Odisha Bytes.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the department further mentioned in the statement that the “Doctors pursuing PG or post PG would be entitled to get their salary during study leave. Their salary would be drawn from their respective places of last posting.”

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that earlier this year, the Orissa Government increased the study leave span of doctors from three years to six years. The Government took this decision with an aim to encourage specialised qualifications for doctors of government hospitals and medical colleges.

Previously, doctors used to get permission for study leave for a maximum of three years in their service career, subject to the condition that the total period of study-leave combined with other kinds of leave, except leave on medical certificate or extraordinary leave, does not involve an absence from duty for more than 36 months.

However, earlier this year, the state issued a notification and mentioned that the study leave may be granted to doctors working under the administrative control of health and family welfare department up to a maximum period of six years in the service career for pursuing PG and post PG higher studies, subject to the condition that the total period of study leave in combination with other kinds of leave except leave on medical certificate or extraordinary leave, does not involve an absence from duty for more than 72 months.

Also Read: Orissa Govt increases Study Leave of doctors from 3 to 6 years to encourage specialised qualification