Cabinet approves raising retirement age of doctors

NEW DELHI, JUNE 15 (IANS): The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved raising of the retirement age of central government doctors to 65 years, union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday. The retirement age of non-teaching and public health specialists of the Central Government Health Services will also be 65 years.   “Keeping in mind the shortage of doctors, a decision has been taken to increase the retirement age of doctors from 62 years to 65 years,” Prasad said. An official statement later said: “The decision will help in better patient care, proper academic activities in government medical colleges and effective implementation of the National Health Programmes for delivery of healthcare services.”   The government claimed there will be no financial implications of the increase in retirement age. The Cabinet decision comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement in this regard at a rally in Uttar Pradesh last month.  

A statement from the Health Ministry on May 31 said the proposal had been approved and would be applicable from May 31.  The retirement age with respect to all four sub-cadres of Central Health Services was 60 years prior to 2006.   In 2006, the age of retirement for three specialists sub-cadres (teaching, non-teaching and public health), except general duty medical officer sub-cadre, was enhanced from 60 to 62 years.  The retirement age of teaching sub-cadre was further increased to 65 years in 2008 in view of a huge shortfall of teaching specialists. The approval was limited to teaching specialists engaged in teaching activities only and not occupying administrative positions.