PCMSA Statewide protests against hike in medical education fee
Paramedical and health worker union supports protest by PCMSA
Chandigarh, 03 June, 2020: Already fighting against the COVID-19 in the state, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), the sole body of government doctors in Punjab, are up in arms against the fee hike for medical education in Punjab by 80%. The PCMSA organised statewide protest against the move of the government on Wednesday by installing black badges. The protests have been supported by the Punjab paramedical and Health worker union in the state.
The major protest were erupted at Directorate Health Services Chandigarh, various district, sub-divisional and block level hospitals in districts including Moga, Bathinda, Mansa, Sangrur, Barnala, Tarn Taran, Shri Mukatsar Sahib, Fraidkot, Hooshairpur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib.
Addressing a protest at Moga, state president of PCMSA Dr Gagandeep Singh said, "The government has hiked the medical education fee for education like MMBS by 80%. The fee for the MMBS course was earlier Rs 4.40 Lakhs for the students who used to get position in the merit list. After the hike, it will be Rs 7.80 lakhs for the same course which is much higher for the marginal, middle and lower middle families".
He added that the hike in the fee is not just an issue for the doctors only but this a social issue and the people of Punjab should raise hands against this injustice.
Dr Manohar Singh, general secretary of the PCMSA and Gagandeep Singh Shergill Senior Vice President took the government with hard hands stating, "The medical services and the education are the duty of the government but it is finding profit in it, which is not the rule of welfare state. The government must take back the decision".
Dr Ranjit Singh Rai, vice president, Dr Indervir Gill Organising Secretary and Dr Simranjit Singh pointed out that after the 80% hike in the fee, Punjab is the state where medical education is the highest in the country. "Even the supreme court of India had ruled out in a past case that only 15% hike after three years can be made by the government", they added.
Dr Sharin Dhiman and Dr Jatinder Pannu the vice president and Dr Gurmail Singh Bathinda state body member of the PCMSA said, "The move of the government seems to benefit the private colleges while the merit of the students will suffer a lot with this decision. "Those who will have their names in the merit will not be able to afford the education, while those having money will become the doctors easily", they elaborated.
Kulbir Singh Dhillon, state president Coordination committee Paramedical and Health workers, in a press release supported the protest of the PCMSA and the paramedical and health workers across the Punjab joined the protest as well.