Odisha MBBS doctors protest over pending medical officer appointments

Cuttack: In a peaceful protest on Monday outside the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) office, hundreds of MBBS doctors demanded clarity and action on their delayed appointments, expressing frustration over delays in receiving appointment letters despite qualifying for medical officer posts.

The protestors highlighted the uncertainty surrounding their professional futures. According to them, OPSC had invited applications in May last year for 5,284 medical officer posts. Nearly 3,000 candidates appeared for the examination, with 1,840 successfully qualifying. Following document verification, only around 822 candidates were issued appointment letters, leaving approximately 1,018 qualified doctors waiting indefinitely for postings.

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Speaking to Odisha TV, an agitating MBBS doctor stated, “OPSC has only released a final list of around 800 (candidates). However, for thousands of other candidates from the 1,840 who have qualified and passed out, OPSC has not taken any steps so far. When so many passed-out doctors are ready to go to villages and provide their services, it is necessary for you all (the media) to consider how appropriate it is for the State government to ignore them? We appeal to the government to instruct OPSC to take steps for the appointment of all 1,840 qualified doctors.”

Another protester said they had been running from pillar to post and had even met the Health minister, apprising him of their concern, but to no avail. “The state government says there is a shortage of doctors, but qualified doctors are not being given postings. We request the OPSC to grant posting to all qualified doctors,” he said, reports TNIE.

In response, OPSC Secretary Bijay Kumar Khandayat Ray clarified that the recruitment process was conducted in strict compliance with rules and directives from the Orissa High Court. The court had mandated appointments for 822 candidates, which have already been completed. Any further appointments will depend on decisions by the State government.

“We had called a total of 1,840 candidates for document verification. We called those who had qualified. Out of them, 1,722 were present. The others were absent. Hence, we had to fill up 1,722 posts. As per the order we received from the Orissa High Court and respecting the Court’s order, we recommended 411 UR category candidates and 411 reserved category candidates,” OPSC Secretary, Bijay Kumar Khandayat Ray, said, Odisha TV.

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