New Delhi Assuring that number of seats in non-reserved categories in medical education institutions would not be pruned, Government on Sunday night said it will examine one of the key demands of striking anti-reservation medicos for constituting an experts committee to go into the issue of quota in central higher education centres.
But the students and doctors have rejected the written proposal from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Rejecting the government proposal to examine the demand to set up an expert committee, agitating anti-reservation medicos said they will further intensify their strike and called a medical bandh in New Delhi on May 31.
"Our demands for an expert committee has not been met. The Government has just said that it will examine the demand but when and how is not clear. There is no clear time frame given," Dr Neha Gandhi, a spokesperson of the agitating students said.
Vinod Patro, President of the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association, said they would observe a medical bandh across the Capital on Wednesday.
The Government proposal sought to assure students that general category seats would not be reduced after the implementation of 27 per cent quotas for OBCs.
"Government has taken note of the various concerns expressed by the medical students and their demand for constituting an experts committee/commission and will get it examined," Union Minister Oscar Fernandes said in New Delhi after a brief meeting with the medicos.
In eight-point clarification handed over to the students, who are on a fortnight-long strike paralysing healthcare services in several parts of the country, the Government said retirement age of professors would be relaxed.
It also said no action would be taken against agitating students, interns and resident doctors "in any form as regards service breaks, termination, pay deduction, legal notice etc."
The Government said it was committed to expansion of medical education facilities and institutions to ensure that students from all sections of the society have adequate opportunities to meet their aspirations for higher education.
Fernandes, who met the students for the second time in a bid to break the deadlock, said the Government was committed to providing adequate resources required to create additional facilities and expand existing facilities.
Fernandes said reservation of 27 per cent seats for OBCs would be implemented in educational institutions under the purview of the Central Government beginning from the academic session commencing in June 2007.
"The period up to June 2007 will be utilized for developing/creating the necessary infrastructure and other facilities including teaching faculty and other staff corresponding with the overall increase in the number of seats so that there will be no reduction in the total seats available for general category students", a government statement said.
For ensuring the quality of teaching, appropriate measures, including relaxation in the age of retirement of Professors, will be taken up so that the services of qualified faculty remain available, it said.
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