Punjab Govt doctors stage symbolic protest over pending promotions

The Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association, President Dr Jaspreet Singh, currently serving as professor at GMC Amritsar, warned that the association would intensify the protest if the government did not take prompt steps to resolve the issue. Speaking to Medical Dialogues, he explained, “After four years, an assistant professor is redesignated as associate professor, and after three more years of service, they become a professor. In 7 years, as an assistant professor can become a professor. In some places, it happened with financial benefits, and in some cases, without financial benefits. Even in one of the medical colleges under the state medical university, the time-bound promotion process is in effect, but the faculties of Government Medical Colleges of Patiala and Amritsar do not receive the benefit.”

General Secretary of the association and professor at Government Medical College Patiala, Dr Darshanjit Singh Walia, stated that despite several meetings, representations, and assurances from the authorities, no concrete decision had been taken regarding the long-pending demand. Faculty members said the continued delay had led to growing dissatisfaction among teachers in government medical and dental institutions.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Darshanjit Singh Walia stated, “All the government employees, even engineers, teachers in the state, even doctors of the private ones, enjoy time-bound promotion; only the doctors of the Government Medical Colleges of Patiala and Amritsar are deprived of the benefit. Is this not unjust? Many of us have stayed in our posts for years. Even after 15 years, many of the doctors are still assistant professors, and they have not received a promotion. Even in Rajasthan, they follow the proper time-bound promotion scheme.”

In a press release, the association pointed out, “Despite repeated meetings, representations and assurances from the government, no concrete step has been taken up by the government to address this issue, which has led to dissatisfaction and resentment in the faculty. The association in their meeting resolved to initiate a phased protest program if the government fails to take immediate action.”

“On 14th May, 2026, all the faculty protested against the inaction on their demand for time-bound re-designation/promotion by the government by wearing black badges while doing their routine work. The association appealed to the government to initiate a meaningful dialogue at the earliest to avoid escalation of the situation and ensure smooth functioning of medical education and healthcare services in the state medical and dental colleges,” the association further added.