Telangana doctors protest medical council expansion, warn of autonomy loss

Hyderabad: Telangana doctors have demanded the withdrawal of Government Order (GO) 229 to ensure that the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) remains largely doctor-led. However, Health Department sources said the order has already been issued and is unlikely to be withdrawn.

GO 229, issued by the Telangana Health Department on December 22, 2025, nominates four government officers as ex officio members of the TGMC.

At present, the 25-member TGMC consists of 13 elected members, six government nominees, two representatives from Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), and four ex officio government officials. With the addition of four more ex officio members under GO 229, the total number of state government–nominated ex-officio members has increased to eight.

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The expansion has raised concerns among young doctors over the council's independence, with many arguing that the move dilutes the role of elected representatives.

Doctors have been protesting against the order for the past week. A senior TGMC member also stated that all council members should be doctors. He pointed out that the law allows only four ex officio members and one officer, and there is no provision for appointing four additional ex officio members.

Medical students and young doctors expressed particular concern, saying they would be the worst affected. Many MBBS graduates from district medical colleges practise independently if they fail to secure postgraduate seats, and they stressed that robust regulation is vital to safeguard qualified practitioners.

Medical Dialogues reported about the incident where government doctors across several medical associations held a statewide black badge protest at all government medical colleges on January 7. The doctors also announced that they will continue their peaceful protest from January 7.

The medical fraternity in Telangana has expressed strong anger and disappointment over the inclusion of non-doctors and bureaucrats in the council, which, according to them, compromises the autonomy, independence, and representative nature of the council and goes against established judicial principles that safeguard the functioning of autonomous professional regulatory bodies.

The protest was called by the Medical Joint Action Committee (JAC), which includes the Indian Medical Association (IMA)–Telangana State, Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association, Telangana Junior Doctors Association, Telangana Senior Residents Doctors Association and Telangana Teaching Government Doctors Association.

A senior TGMC member told TOI that the law permits only four ex officio members and one officer. "There is no provision to appoint four additional ex officio members. Also, all council members must be doctors, but the officers nominated under the new order are not doctors by qualification," he said.

Doctors said, "At a time when nearly 50,000 quacks and unqualified practitioners are operating across Telangana, especially in rural areas, the livelihoods of qualified doctors depend on strict regulation."

Dr Srinath, President of the Telangana Senior Residents Doctors’ Association, said, "If quackery is not stopped, it affects all qualified doctors. In the future, we will also be part of the council, so everyone is concerned."

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