Chennai: Tamil Nadu government has told medicos to give up their agitation, which is against government’s proposal to make one year’s rural service compulsory; otherwise they will face eviction from hostels.
   
Medicos are on a fast-unto-death, so to force the central government re-think on the proposal of one-year mandatory rural service.

Government said that students had not fulfilled their promise to suspend their strike two weeks ago after following Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s offer to take up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss. While the chief minister talked with ministers but student continued their agitation.

Ramadoss said that he is awaiting a report of Dr. Sambasiva Rao committee, which is examining the students’ demands.  

“At this stage, there is no need for students to prolong their agitation. They should end their stir and resume studies. But, if they don’t, the government shall be constrained to shut down all medical colleges and hostels from December 3,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has also made a strong case to make a few years of public service compulsory for all graduates from government medical colleges.

This should be at least three years, the planning commission recommended in the draft Eleventh Plan that aims to improve government’s health care services to the public.

The major reason for this is to enable students who get state-subsidized education to contribution to the society by serving tax payer for few years. The pay structure of the doctors would be improved.

This recommendation could provoke more protests from medicos. This compulsory year of service would make a student to spend about six and a half to seven years to get a medical degree.