Chennai, Feb 26 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, on Wednesday called upon newly-recruited doctors to focus on the welfare of the people, assuring that his government would also ensure their well-being.
Speaking at a ceremony where he distributed appointment letters to 2,642 newly-selected medical officers on Wednesday, CM Stalin highlighted the steps taken by the DMK government to improve healthcare infrastructure in Tamil Nadu.
CM Stalin emphasised that doctors must play a crucial role in effectively utilising this infrastructure to serve the people.
“Your service is not just a job; it is a mission that saves lives. It is a great service to society,” the Chief Minister said, addressing the new recruits.
He further assured them of the government’s support, stating that the Dravidian model of governance would prioritise their welfare.
The event was attended by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, Chennai South MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian, and other senior officials.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian clarified that doctors who registered with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC) after July 15, 2024, were ineligible for recruitment as assistant surgeons.
The recruitment process, conducted by the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB), faced controversy as over 400 junior doctors had their applications rejected due to non-compliance with the eligibility criteria.
The Madras High Court has stated that the rejection of these applications will remain subject to the outcome of a legal plea challenging the decision.
The petitioners argued that the delay in issuing certificates by the Tamil Nadu Medical Council prevented them from submitting the required documents on time.
Many of these doctors, who had applied with provisional registration certificates instead of the original ones, were later disqualified.
Health Minister Subramanian assured that the rejected candidates would have another opportunity to apply when the MRB invites applications for fresh recruitment.
The MRB had earlier mandated that doctors must have registered with TNMC on or before July 15, 2024, to be eligible. However, the Board failed to properly vet applications, leading to around 400 ineligible candidates attempting the online examination on January 5.
These candidates were subsequently disqualified during the certificate verification process.
Dr. D. Dharani, one of the affected aspirants, criticised the government for its inefficiency, claiming that the delay in issuing course completion certificates by TN Dr. MGR Medical University and subsequent delays by colleges led to the postponement of TNMC registrations.
“The government’s inefficiency has impacted around 400 doctors from the 2018 batch, including nearly 150 candidates who ranked within the top 1,000 in the examination,” he said.
–IANS
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