Haryana doctors to go on token strike over direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers

Opposing the Health Department's decision, Haryana Civil Medical Services Association has submitted a letter to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar . In the letter, the Association said, " The issue of stopping direct recruitment of SMO was decided in the year 2015 and the same was approved by our Hon'ble Health Minister. But now unfortunately the same issue is again being taken up by the government in spite of our multiple representations. Direct SMO recruitment has stagnated 95% of HCMS cadre and doctors are getting only one promotion (SMO) throughout their entire service."

"We fail to understand that despite strong political commitment why ACS Health is bent upon recruiting direct SMO. This is ironic and unfortunate that senior officers are so much interested in such an issue which is detrimental to the HCMS cadre and not taking up the important issues like ACP at par with center and formation of specialist cadre and PG policy. There was strong resentment among doctors towards the insensitive and callous attitude of the Govt. towards the long pending genuine demands of HCMS doctors including the formation of specialist cadre", the letter added.

The medical officers demanded that the recruitment of direct SMOs should be stopped. The long-pending demands of the medical officers include the creation of a Specialist cadre, and formulating proper PG policy.

Dr Jasbir Singh Parmar, the president of HCMSA told Medical Dialogues, " We perform our duties wearing black badges on Monday to oppose the discriminatory decision. Many specialists and talented doctors will face discrimination as their growth has been curtailed. The direct recruitment of SMOs is not justified in any way. This is coming at the time when the department is in the process of having a sub-cadre for specialists."

As per a recent media report in Times of India, Haryana has decided to start the recruitment process of 118 senior medical officers. Haryana Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Veena Singh has constituted a committee under Dr Parveen Sethi, DHS (dental), to discuss the process. The committee will be responsible for the direct recruitment of 980 medical officers.

Commenting on the issue of whether the decision was supported by the CM, one of the senior officials told the daily, "How can the department go ahead with the recruitment against the advice or recommendation of the minister or chief minister? The home minister has given approval on file. Only after this, we had taken out this recruitment from the purview of HPSC. Moreover, this is an old practice in accordance with service by laws."     

"If the recruitment of additional districts and sessions judge (ADJ) can be held through direct recruitment and no one has any objection, then why can't this, the official asked.

"All DG-level officers have gone through this. Moreover, even existing HCMS officers are eligible to apply," the officer added.