TN Doctors see red over fresh service recruitment exam notice, demand hiring of already qualified candidates

Chennai: Doctors, who qualified in last year's MRB examination held to recruit assistant surgeons for 1,021 posts, are upset with the new recruitment notification issued by the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) inviting applications for 2,553 vacant posts of assistant surgeons temporarily in the Tamil Nadu Medical Service. 

According to a recent report by The Hindu, shocked over the new recruitment notification, they are demanding that candidates who qualified previously should be considered to fill the vacant posts instead of holding a new examination.

As per the new notification dated 15.03.2024 for 2,553 vacant posts, the candidates are required to submit their applications from April 24 to May 15 and the date of examination will be intimated later.

Also Read: Chennai: House Surgeons demand Incentive Marks in Government Service Recruitment against COVID-19 service

The Hindu reports that even though the previous notification for recruitment in 1,021 posts was issued back in October 2022, it got delayed due to multiple reasons and finally the recruitments were completed in February 2024. Meanwhile, a number of candidates approached the Court seeking incentive marks for their work in government hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, house surgeons serving in COVID wards across various government or government-approved private medical college hospitals sought incentive marks in the upcoming government doctor recruitment drive conducted by the Medical Recruitment Board. Expressing their concerns, the house surgeons sought equitable treatment with doctors recruited on contract and post-graduate professionals assigned responsibilities during the pandemic. They argue that the nature of their duties, especially in COVID-19 wards, warrants recognition in the form of incentive marks during the recruitment process. Eventually, they were granted the incentive marks.

Following this, some of the qualified doctors approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Health Department for increasing the number of vacancies notified. They claimed that the grant of incentive marks affected their prospects of securing a posting.

Passing an order in this regard, the Court on February 14 issued directions to the Health Department to consider the representation of the petitioner doctors and pass appropriate orders within four weeks from the date of order.

Some of the candidates have now pointed out that despite the order by the Court, a new notification was issued on March 15 by the Government inviting fresh applications. They also added that they have made a representation to the Health Department requesting it increase the number of vacancies and fill up the vacancies from the list of qualified candidates.

Commenting on the matter, a candidate who qualified in the previous exam told The Hindu, "In the MRB examination held in 2018, the average cut-off of an aspirant was 55 for BC, 52.5 for MBC and 50 for SC. There was an increase in the number of aspirants for the past five years, and giving incentive marks for those who worked during COVID-19 affected the prospects of many candidates. For instance, a SC candidate, despite getting 63 marks, did not get a posting. In such circumstances, releasing a new notification indicates that those with merit marks are being ignored."

The doctor argued that a vacancy should not be kept unfilled for such a long time with health being an essential service that affects the poor. "Now, they have brought up 2,553 vacancies. A number of posts were kept vacant for more than five years. This breaches the purpose of MRB as outlined by Government Order 1," he added.

The Daily further adds that responding to a Right to Information (RTI) application, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine informed in November 2023 that there were 1,752 vacancies for the post of assistant surgeons.

Referring to this, another doctor added, "When there are 1,752 vacant posts, why not fill accordingly instead of only 1,021 posts. In fact, not all 1,021 posts have been filled. Only around 777 doctors have joined. So there are a good number of posts to which already qualified candidates from the MRB list can be recruited, instead of the fresh notification."

Meanwhile, another qualified candidate noted that the State Government did not hold the MRB examination for nearly five years and due to this several candidates were left waiting. He opined, "This new notification should be withdrawn."

Commenting on the matter, an official informed the Daily that all the aspects can only be looked into after the elections.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that expressing dissatisfaction with the Health Department's handling of vacant positions and the allocation of merit marks, the doctors were planning to challenge the department's decision to issue a fresh notification for 2,553 assistant surgeon posts, despite 1,251 vacancies remaining unfilled from the April 2023 MRB exam, in the Court.

Dr Parthiban Shivan, representing the aspirants, had earlier informed about the plans to challenge this move in the Madras High Court, arguing that according to regulations, new notifications cannot be issued until all previously announced posts are filled.

The last MRB exam was held in 2023 after five years for 1,021 assistant surgeon posts and as a result, a large number of candidates appeared, aspirants informed. The department called nearly 1,600 candidates for the 1,021 posts, of which, 777 were posted.