Kerala Medical College Teachers to launch protest over pending arrears, pay anomalies

The association has also decided to start an agitation against the acute shortage of teaching staff in government medical colleges, the correction of anomalies in the entry cadre, and the delay in releasing Dearness Allowance (DA) payments with pending arrears.

Doctors began a dharna at Kozhikode Government Medical College, where KGMCTA State president Rosnara Begum stated that the association has finalised its next course of action. Beginning Monday, October 13, teachers will boycott all theory classes for one week across all courses. The Health Summit scheduled for October 14 will also be boycotted by KGMCTA members. Following this, from October 20 onwards, Outpatient (OP) services will be boycotted in a relay manner across medical colleges in the state as part of their ongoing protest.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, KGMCTA State president Rosnara Begum stated, “Now the Central DA is 58% from July 2025 onwards. For us, 5 instalments are pending, i.e., July 2023, January 2024, July 2024, January 2025 and July 2025, amounting to a total deficit of 16 % DA. Now we are getting 42% DA, which is the rate to be effective from January 2023, but arrears from that date were not given. Got DA in the new rate from the Salary of August 2025 (encashed in September) onwards only. For previous instalments also, arrears were not given.”

“The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) has been fighting relentlessly for the service rights of medical college teachers for the past four years. Despite repeated requests and patient waiting, the Government has failed to take any meaningful steps toward resolving the long-pending issues related to pay revision arrears, entry cadre anomaly, post creation, and DA arrears. This ongoing series of protest programmes began on July 1st, Doctors’ Day, with a protest meeting held across all Government Medical Colleges. Subsequently, Black Day protests, protest gatherings, candlelight demonstrations, and mid-day dharnas were organized in a peaceful yet determined manner. No positive response has been received from government so far, revealing a deep disregard for the concerns of the medical community,” the association pointed out.

An order has been issued allowing the pay revision of Government Medical College teachers with effect from 1/1/2016, and G.O. has been issued to pay the salary revision arrears from 1/1/2016 in 4 instalments from 1/4/2023 onwards. However, the disbursement of salary revision arrears has been deferred. The KGMCTA has repeatedly requested the disbursement of pay revision arrears, but no action has been taken in this regard to date. Only the revised salary from 1/10/2020 has been paid, as it was implemented too late.

The Kerala Government Medical College teachers have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the delay in disbursing their long-pending pay revision arrears, despite the pay structure being modelled on the UGC-AICTE pattern. “When we are asking about the arrears, the authorities are claiming that they have not received the UGC grant. Medical college faculty fall under the National Medical Commission (NMC), not the UGC, and their salaries are entirely funded by the State Government. In past revisions, arrears were fully paid by the State without any Central assistance,” added Dr Rosnara.

She also stated that currently, while other State Government employees have received two instalments of arrears, medical teachers—whose arrears date from January 2016 to September 2020—remain unpaid. The teachers also stress that their work involves teaching, research, and high-risk clinical duties, including crucial roles during the COVID-19 and Nipah outbreaks. They have urged the State to release their full pay revision arrears immediately, recognising their distinct responsibilities and sustained service under difficult conditions. The association has also requested for correction of anomalies in the entry cadre that arose in the revision of pay in the medical education service.

The association pointed out that in case of new entrants joining as faculty in the medical education department after 1.1.2016, there is a significant drop in pay, compared with those who entered service before 1.1.2016 (AG has pointed this anomaly), and there is a slower career progression to the level of Associate professor (8 years’ service as Assistant professor is required now in medical broad specialties), compared with both the provisions existing before the pay revision (only 7 years as Assistant professor was required) and the NMC norms (only 4 years as Assistant professor is required). Similarly, in medical super specialities, 5 years as an assistant professor is required for career advancement promotion as an associate professor, whereas NMC specifies a period of 2 years only. Pointing out a Pay drop per month for Lecturer Rs 5300/- (9031/- with present DA), Broad speciality assistant prof – Rs 11,000/- (18744/-with present DA) and Superspeciality Assistant Prof Rs 18,400/- (31133/- with present DA), the association has requested the authorities to look into the matter and take necessary steps to improve the prevailing situation.