MBBS graduates protest against irregularities in filling up doctors' posts in Odisha

According to a media report in the Odisha TV, insufficient seats in the general category for the post of medical officers was another reason behind the agitation.

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Some of the demands of the protesting MBBS graduates include:

• Scrapping of the latest OPSC notification for medical officer recruitment and postings fresh notification for recruitment of medical officers with increased number of posts.
• De- reservation of vacancies in the Reserved Category in the prescribed manner under Orissa Act 38 of 1975
• Publication of ranked list with number of candidates two times the number of sanctioned vacancies.
• Explanation regarding less number of seats in the Unreserved Category
• Conducting OPSC Exam in online mode to maintain transparency

A protester told the local daily, "There has been a steady decline in the number of vacancies sanctioned in the Unreserved Category every year. From 2000, it has now come down to 196 since 2017. Similarly, the number of posts in the reserved category are not getting filled."

Another protestor told Odisha TV that vacant posts are increasing since number of seats in the reserved category is not getting filled leading to lack of doctors in the State, adding that there are qualified doctors in the general category.

Another member of the group alleged, "Almost 1800 Unreserved candidates would be applying for a paltry number of posts. This is causing distress among the General Category candidates as the number of applicants is more than the number of posts available in the Unreserved Category."

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