The ‘total neglect’ of medical college doctors in the State Budget 2026-27, even when a host of populist measures are announced for all categories of government servants, is not just a serious breach of the promises given to doctors but a huge injustice too, the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association said here.
The last Budget presented by this Left Democratic Front government has ignored every single demand repeatedly raised by doctors, a reflection of the systematic neglect shown to doctors. While it has ensured that all other categories of government employees receive timely pay revisions and arrears, the utter disregard for medical college doctors is an indication that only those sections of society which constitute a substantial vote bank matters to the government, the KGMCTA said in a sharply worded statement here.
In 2021, just before the Assembly elections, the first Pinarayi government had issued a GO, sanctioning salary arrears in four instalments for both State government employees and medical college doctors. But when they returned to power, the government chose to freeze this GO citing financial constraints. But later, it paid the salary arrears to State government employees, excluding medical college doctors, the KGMCTA pointed out.
Medical college doctors have been on an indefinite strike demanding payment of the pay revision arrears due to them since 2016 and rectification of pay revision anomalies at the entry cadre, among others.
It reminded the government that the successful management of COVID pandemic that it takes so much pride in, was solely due to the tireless effort and sacrifices of doctors in Health services and medical colleges. World over, doctors and healthcare workers who saved lives during COVID were incentivised. And here, the government was refusing to pay the doctors even the pay revision arrears, the KGMCTA said
It said the Budget totally lacked a comprehensive vision for the development of medical colleges in the State. The Finance Minster had yet again failed to address the serious problem of human resources shortage in health sector, in proportion to the burgeoning patient load.
The KGMCTA has already announced its intention to go on an indefinite strike. It said that poor service conditions, huge workload, and inadequate pay were preventing young people from choosing medical education service.
Published – January 29, 2026 11:53 pm IST
