PANAJI
In a bid to address the shortage of doctors in government hospitals and health centres, the State government has notified a policy to engage freshly graduated MBBS doctors from Goa Medical College (GMC) on a voluntary short-term basis for one year.
The Health Department has notified the "Voluntary Engagement Scheme for MBBS Doctors (Short-Term Tenure) in Government Health Institutions of Goa", under which selected candidates will be designated as Junior Resident/Medical Officer with a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs 80,000. The policy makes it mandatory for MBBS graduates to voluntarily opt for the scheme before they are appointed.
As per the notification, the policy aims "to overcome the shortage of doctors in various government hospitals and health centers by engaging MBBS graduates who pass out annually from GMC after completion of their internship."
It further states that the initiative seeks "to bridge this gap and ensure optimal utilization of trained medical manpower" while also providing newly qualified doctors with practical clinical exposure.
The engagement will be purely voluntary and tenure-based for a fixed period of one year. "No extension of tenure shall be permitted under any ordinary circumstances and the engagement shall not confer any right to permanent employment in Government service," the notification states.
Eligible candidates must have completed MBBS from GMC, finished their compulsory rotatory internship, possess valid registration with the State Medical Council or National Medical Commission, and be willing to serve in any government health institution in Goa.
The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) will annually communicate the hospital-wise requirement to GMC, which will prepare a consolidated list covering the latest three MBBS batches, subject to a cap of 200 doctors. Selection will be through counselling and interviews at GMC, with postings allotted strictly on merit and candidate preference, giving priority to the most recently passed-out batch. Selected doctors will serve six months at GMC and six months under the Directorate of Health Services in district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres or other government health facilities.
The notification also specifies that engaged doctors will undertake outpatient and inpatient care, emergency and on-call duties, implementation of national health programmes and maintenance of medical records. Candidates may resign by giving three months' notice, while the government retains the right to terminate the engagement in cases of unsatisfactory performance, misconduct or unauthorised absence.
