Thiruvananthapuram: The doctors at Kerala’s Government Medical Colleges have announced that they will begin a ‘work-to-rule’ protest from November 11, 2025, in response to the State Government’s continued neglect of their long-pending demands.
Under this protest, doctors will boycott all duties beyond official working hours, including teaching, ward rounds, and emergency support after shifts.
KGMCTA Slams Government’s “Apathy”
The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) stated that the protest is being intensified as the government has failed to address the serious concerns of doctors and the healthcare sector.
“Even at this crucial juncture, the government has failed to initiate any constructive dialogue with the protesting doctors,”
the association said in its statement.
Background: Long-Standing Demands
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the doctors’ protests stem from multiple unresolved demands, including:
- Rectifying entry-level pay anomalies
- Clearing arrears from the 2016 pay revision
- Creating new teaching and medical posts in recently established colleges
- Improving hospital infrastructure and staffing
- Releasing pending DA (Dearness Allowance) dues
- Removing the pension ceiling imposed on state-paid faculty
Despite repeated representations, the government has not acted on these issues, the doctors allege.
OPD Boycott and Escalation
On November 5, government medical college doctors observed the third phase of their Outpatient Department (OPD) boycott.
The KGMCTA criticised the government’s move to deploy PG students and house surgeons to maintain OPD services, calling it “misleading and unethical.”
“Patients referred by senior specialists from district hospitals cannot be adequately managed by house surgeons alone. Such actions are merely attempts to deceive the public,”
the association asserted.
Doctors Demand Equal Treatment
Speaking to Medical Dialogues, KGMCTA State President Dr. Rosnara Begum T said:
“Despite releasing arrears and allowances to other categories of government employees, the Government continues to discriminate against Medical College doctors, who stood at the frontline during the COVID pandemic.”
She added that the association’s earlier symbolic and non-disruptive protests failed to move the government, forcing doctors to escalate their agitation.
Strict Adherence to Duty Hours
As part of the ‘work-to-rule’ agitation, doctors will:
- Work strictly within official duty hours
- Avoid any overtime, extra duties, or after-hour teaching
- Attend only the number of patients manageable within scheduled timings
“Only the number of patients who can be reasonably examined within the stipulated hours will be attended to,”
said the KGMCTA in a statement.
Government Yet to Respond
The Kerala Government has not issued any official response regarding the upcoming protest.
Doctors have warned that if their demands continue to be ignored, they may escalate to an indefinite strike in the coming weeks.
