They further added that, if the government fails to respond positively, OP boycotts will continue on 28 October, 5, 13, 21, and 29 November, on a relay basis, and classes will also be boycotted on these days.
Published Oct 17, 2025 | 8:35 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 17, 2025 | 8:35 PM
Doctor. (Representative image)
Synopsis: KGMCTA’s core demands include clearing the salary and dearness allowance arrears that were lost due to the delayed salary revision implemented four years late, rectifying the salary determination error in the entry post of Assistant Professor, and ensuring appointment of doctors in proportion to patient load.
Doctors under the banner of the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) have decided to intensify their ongoing protest by launching an Outpatient (OP) boycott strike across all government medical colleges in the state from Monday, 20 October, citing the state government’s failure to address their long-pending demands.
KGMCTA has appealed to the public to visit hospitals only for urgent treatment on 20 October.
They further added that, if the government fails to respond positively, OP boycotts will continue on 28 October, 5, 13, 21, and 29 November, on a relay basis, and classes will also be boycotted on these days.
A non-cooperation strike will also be launched simultaneously.
The association said the decision was forced upon them after the government “turned its back” on repeated protests and negotiations that were held without disrupting public services.
KGMCTA’s core demands include clearing the salary and dearness allowance arrears that were lost due to the delayed salary revision implemented four years late, rectifying the salary determination error in the entry post of Assistant Professor, and ensuring appointment of doctors in proportion to patient load.
The association also came down heavily on the practice of appointing doctors to newly started medical colleges through “unscientific temporary redeployment” from existing institutions.
“This is nothing but an eyewash in the eyes of patients and the National Medical Commission. The government must create new posts instead of draining existing manpower,” the statement said.
KGMCTA leaders said that the government alone is “fully responsible” for pushing them into adopting more aggressive strike measures.
“There is already a severe shortage of doctors even in the older medical college hospitals to provide modern treatment in proportion to the patient ratio. In this situation, transferring doctors to new colleges without basic facilities has worsened the crisis,” they said.
The strike is expected to affect OP services, with only junior doctors and postgraduate doctors available for emergency and essential services on the strike days.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
