UP Govt doctors seek optional NPA, service rule amendments

Uttar Pradesh: Government doctors in Uttar Pradesh have urged the state government to make the Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) optional and allow private practice after office hours. The Provincial Medical Services Association (PMSA) said the move, along with changes to service rules, would help attract more specialist doctors to government hospitals.  

Addressing a press conference on Friday, office-bearers of the association, which represents over 12,000 government doctors across 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, stated the state needs policy reforms to improve recruitment and retention of specialists.

According to PMSA, although the government created 3,602 Level-2 specialist posts through lateral entry, only 486 specialists have joined over the past six years.  

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“This is why we suggested to the government to make NPA optional as in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar. We also suggested making suitable amendments to the Uttar Pradesh Medical and Health Service Rules as 6,946 eligible doctors are awaiting promotion from level one to level two and only a change in rules can pave the way for them,” said Dr Singh, referring to a meeting at the director general medical health office before the press conference, reports HT.

According to the association, the current rules result in doctors losing their accumulated experience after promotion, making them junior to specialists who join later through direct recruitment. The association said suitable changes in the rules are necessary to address this anomaly.

Besides recruitment and promotions, PMSA raised several other issues, including delays in processing Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for nearly 700 doctors. It also urged the government to extend retirement benefits to Level-4 doctors at the age of 62 years, even if they continue working as consultants until 65 years, as permitted under existing rules.

According to Hindustan Times, the demands were discussed during a meeting at the Director General Medical Health office before the association's press conference. PMSA leaders said implementing these reforms would strengthen the state's healthcare workforce and make government service more attractive to specialist doctors.