Doctors Warn of Fallout Over Pay Cuts and Stalled Promotions
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SHIMLA — The Senior Academic Medical Doctors’ Association (SAMDCOT), the apex body of consultant doctors at IGMC Shimla, convened a General House meeting today to address a burgeoning crisis within the state’s medical colleges. The assembly reflected deep-seated resentment among senior faculty regarding controversial administrative extensions, the stagnation of regular promotions, and the government’s proposed deferment of monthly emoluments.
Erosion of Administrative Integrity
The General House expressed grave concern over the state’s continued reliance on “handpicked” re-employed retirees to fill the pivotal roles of Principal and Director of Medical Education (DME). Members highlighted that these stop-gap arrangements explicitly violate the Gazetted Notification dated December 13, 2023, which prohibits granting Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) powers to re-employed staff.
”The state’s hesitancy to promote high-ranking, eligible faculty is not just an administrative lapse; it is a breach of policy,” the Association stated. “While waiting faculty face stagnation, re-employed officials are drawing both pensions and full salaries, placing an unnecessary financial burden on a state already grappling with a fiscal crunch.”
The Threat of ‘Quiet Quitting’ and Academic Collapse
The assembly noted that no regular promotion for the post of Principal has occurred since August 2022. This “complete full stop” on career progression has led to:
Declining Morale: Senior faculty report feeling undervalued and betrayed by the system.
Risk of Exodus: The House warned that the infringement of promotion rights is triggering a wave of “quiet quitting.”
Academic Jeopardy: An exodus of senior consultants threatens the accreditation of ongoing and planned Postgraduate (PG) medical courses, which could lead to a total shutdown of advanced medical education in the state.
Financial Hardship and Salary Deferment
SAMDCOT further voiced strong opposition to the government’s proposal to defer 20–30% of salaries for Group A and B employees.
”The salary of a government employee is a protected right, not an optional expenditure,” the Association emphasized. With ten years of pay scale arrears and 15% Dearness Allowance (DA) still pending, the proposed deferment would financially cripple approximately 30,000 employees. Members noted that while the state’s projected savings are a mere ₹10 crore per month, the impact on individual families—who are bound by home loans and rising daily costs—will be “grievous and long-lasting.”
Call to Action
The General House unanimously resolved to demand an immediate rollback of the salary deferment policy and a return to the transparent, merit-based promotion of regular faculty as per the notified seniority list.
SAMDCOT warns that failure to address these grievances will irreparably damage the organizational culture of Himachal Pradesh’s medical institutions and compromise the quality of healthcare services provided to the public.
