INDIA: Retirement age of medical professors is now 65

NEW DELHI (The Times of India), June 6, 2008: Professors teaching in central medical colleges like JIPMER, Safdarjung hospital, Maulana Azad Medical College and Lady Hardinge Medical College will now retire at the age of 65. The decision, taken by the Union cabinet on Thursday, will also benefit teachers from all medical teaching institutes of the central government like AIIMS, PGI Chandigarh, NIMHANS and RIMC Imphal. The decision to raise the retirement age of teaching specialists among Central Health Service (CHS) doctors from 62 years to 65 years will help reduce shortage of medical teaching staff in the country. Speaking to TOI, Union health minister A Ramadoss said, “At present, 40% of CHS posts in medical teaching colleges are vacant. India is witnessing a huge exodus among such teachers of medicine from the public to the private sector, thanks to the increasing number of private medical colleges coming up. Now with the retirement age among CHS made 65, on par with the private sector, we expect the poaching to be reduced by half. The 6th pay commission will also increase perks and pay for CHS.” According to health ministry officials, CHS requires 600 teaching specialists but has only 400. Copyright Times Internet Ltd.