The Kerala government is considering raising of the retirement age of specialized allopathic doctors of government hospitals in the state by three years, despite severe opposition from the fellow doctors.

The move follows acute shortage of specialist doctors and teachers in government medical colleges and specialties attached to the various government run hospitals following the retirement of numerous senior doctors in the last one or two years. By the end of this month, another 42 specialist doctors are retiring from the five medical colleges in the state, including 26 from the Thiruvananthapuram medical college.

The Director of Medical Education (DME) is learnt to have forwarded a proposal to the state health department a few weeks ago to consider riasing the retirement age, citing the shortage of specialized doctors could affect the quality of treatment and education in the medical colleges.

The DME had recommended implementing the extension from this year onwards. Sources said the health department was also considering the option of extending the service on a contract basis. Since most of these doctors were likely to get better offers from the private sector, this idea was unlikely to generate much response, said sources.

The Kerala Health Minister Kadavoor Sivadasan has held discussions with the Chief Minister A K Antony and other senior officials on the issues of service extension and shortage of specialists. As per the high level decision, cabinet would consider the proposal only after the elections, as any decision now to increase the pension age from the present norms of 55 years could violate the election commission's code of conduct for elections. The government has directed the state health secretary K.Ramamurthy to conduct an elaborate study report on the scenario and the recommendations by the time cabinet meets after the elections, said sources.

Meanwhile the government doctors have come forward to vehemently oppose the move. According to the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association (KGMCTA) certain vested interest groups were creating an impression that there would be an acute shortage of qualified doctors once some of the senior doctors retire from their service.


The KGMCTA felt it as a `false propaganda' to help a few doctors who wanted to continue in service even after attaining the age of retirement. The state has enough qualified professional doctors working in the government sector to take over the responsibilities from their seniors retiring from service, felt the association.