Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Teachers Association (MMTA) has threatened to intensify their protest against the extension of the retirement age in BMC colleges from 62 years to 64 years. The protesting doctors have threatened to resign en masse and sit on a hunger strike if the circular extending the age is not withdrawn, the association said on Sunday.
The BMC commissioner raised the retirement age of medical teachers-cum-doctors to 64 years from 62 years last month, aligning it with the retirement limit at government medical colleges in Maharashtra. However, the decision sparked outrage among the younger cadre of doctors who believe it will lead to further stagnation of younger individuals. Under the umbrella of MMTA, the doctors also met BMC commissioner IS Chahal on March 3 to persuade him to rethink the decision. The MMTA members said they plan to go on an indefinite hunger strike on rotation from April 1 if needed . They also threatened mass resignations with a one-month notice which they plan to serve on March 30.
The association also plans to legally challenge the order. Dr Ravindra Deokar of MMTA said they are also gathering support from other associations, including MARD, Students Committee, Nursing and Paramedics associations, Class 3-4 associations, among others. “We require timely recruitment and promotions at junior levels and not extending service limit at the top,” he said. In 2015, the government increased the retirement age of medical teachers to 64 years as state-run colleges were facing a shortage of manpower. Citing similar grounds, a few deans from BMC colleges moved a proposal last December, which got approved in February.