Doctors’ Associations Say New Pay Scale Fails to Reflect Workload and Responsibility
Chennai:
In a significant move, the Tamil Nadu Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department has revised the minimum basic wage for Duty Medical Officers (DMOs) employed in private hospitals and nursing homes across the state. The updated pay structure, however, has triggered criticism from the medical fraternity, who argue that the new rates fall short of expectations.
Revised Wage Based on Bed Strength and Location
As per the latest government order, private healthcare institutions have been categorised into zones depending on their geographical location and bed capacity, which will determine the minimum wage level for DMOs:
- Hospitals with 1–50 beds: Minimum basic wage between ₹14,875 and ₹16,057
- Hospitals with over 1,000 beds: Minimum wage ranges from ₹15,634 to ₹16,876
These figures reflect only the basic pay, with additional allowances such as Dearness Allowance (DA) expected to raise the total monthly salary.
Doctors’ Associations Decry ‘Inadequate’ Revision
Despite the revision, medical associations have raised strong objections, calling the revised pay insufficient given the high-stress, high-responsibility nature of the role.
“How can ₹16,876 be justified as the minimum wage for a doctor even in a hospital with over 1,000 beds?” questioned Dr G R Ravindranath, General Secretary of the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE).
Dr S Karthick Prabhu, State Secretary of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said the hike was marginal and not in line with inflation or workload demands.
“Even with DA, it barely adds up to ₹21,000 — that’s far from a fair compensation,” he remarked.
Comparison with Other States
The development comes amid a broader national conversation about fair compensation for medical professionals in both public and private sectors. Notably, the Gujarat government recently increased honorariums for private visiting specialists under the Chief Minister’s Setu Scheme, offering enhanced daily or monthly pay for their services in government hospitals.
This has further fueled discontent in Tamil Nadu’s medical community, where many argue that their pay scale has not kept pace with responsibilities or rising living costs.
Call for Reassessment and Better Pay Parity
Doctors’ associations are now urging the Tamil Nadu government to revisit the pay structure, taking into account factors such as working hours, on-call duties, emergency care burden, and the post-pandemic healthcare environment.
“A medical officer’s role is critical to patient care. Wages must reflect that — or we risk further demoralising and losing trained professionals,” said one senior government doctor who wished to remain anonymous.
